These pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are soft, moist and full of pumpkin flavor. The best fall treat!
This fall dessert might be my favorite, although I also love mini pumpkin pies, pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
Table of Contents
Best Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
One of my all-time favorite pumpkin recipes is pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. If you’re looking for an easy homemade recipe from scratch, look no further than this classic!
I got this recipe when I first got married and it’s very similar to the version by Paula Deen. I make them every year along with my favorite pumpkin lasagna dessert and easy pumpkin pie bars
Why I Love This Recipe
- The perfect texture. What makes these the best pumpkin bars you’ve ever tried is the super soft, moist, and fluffy texture thanks to the pumpkin puree and oil.
- A creamy finish. The cream cheese frosting is what takes these easy pumpkin bars to the next level. It adds a creamy, sweet, rich, and tangy flavor that everyone loves!
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Baking staples: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla extract.
- Pumpkin: It’s important to use 100% pure pumpkin puree with no extra sweetener or spices. This is different from the canned pumpkin pie filling which is not the correct type to use.
- Oil: Using vegetable oil instead of butter will give these bars a super moist and tender texture.
- Spices: Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice for a warm, fall flavor. Feel free to add more or less depending on how much spice you like.
- Frosting: The best pumpkin bars are topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting! Made with cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar.
How to Make Pumpkin Bars
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Using a mixer, combine wet ingredients first, then slowly add in the dry ingredients.
Spread the batter out evenly into a greased jelly roll baking dish.
Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 25 minutes, just until lightly browned. You do not want to burn them. Then allow the pumpkin bars to cool.
Cream together the frosting ingredients until the mixture is smooth and creamy with no lumps.
Use an offset spatula to spread the cream cheese frosting on top of the cooled pumpkin bars. Frosting the bars too soon will have the frosting slide off or melt.
Slice into squares, decorate or garnish with whipped cream and enjoy!
Pro Tips and Variations
- Thicker bars. You can use a smaller 9×13″ prepared pan for thicker bars if preferred. You’ll need to cook them longer, about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Sifting. I find that sifting the flour and spices together makes these bars extra fluffy.
- Fluffier. For a lighter, fluffier pumpkin bar use 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup oil.
- More spice. Sometimes I mix in other fall spices like ginger or cloves, as I do in this gingerbread bars recipe.
- Chill before serving. I like to refrigerate the dessert before serving so that the frosting has time to set.
- Frosting: A sour cream frosting, cinnamon cream cheese frosting, or maple cream cheese frosting would also taste delicious on top of the pumpkin bars.
- Decorate. My kids love to decorate them with candy corn and pumpkins on top. You can always sprinkle a little cinnamon or nutmeg on top as well. Seriously so delicious!
Love pumpkin dessert recipes? Try this pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe, pumpkin spice cupcakes and pumpkin dump cake, too!
More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
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Pumpkin Bars
Video
Ingredients
Bars
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ⅔ cups (340 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil , see notes
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree , I prefer Libby's
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (275 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice , add an extra 1/2 teaspoon if you like spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 ounces cream cheese , softened
- ½ cup salted butter , softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Optional toppings: Cinnamon, Pumpkin pie spice, Candy pumpkins
Instructions
Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 15×10" jelly roll pan and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat 4 eggs, 1 2/3 cup sugar, 1 cup oil, 1 can pumpkin puree, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla just until combined.
- In a medium bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Mix the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Spread the batter evenly into the pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, cream together 6 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla with an electric mixer. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add a pinch of salt and cinnamon, if desired.
- Spread frosting on top of the pumpkin bars with a spatula. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon or pumpkin spice, if desired.
- Slice into squares. Top with a candy pumpkin, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
There are so many ways to jazz these up for any fall occasion. For something simple, I might sprinkle pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon over the top. I also love to top each bar with a candy pumpkin, candy corn, nuts or fall sprinkles to make them feel really special.
No need to worry, you can make it at home with just 4 spices I am sure you have on hand. This is my favorite pumpkin pie spice recipe to use.
Cover the bars with a lid or plastic wrap. They will stay fresh for 3 to 5 days covered in the refrigerator.
Yes, if you are planning on freezing them, I would recommend freezing without the cream cheese frosting and then adding that fresh. Let the bars cool completely, then wrap and place in a freezer bag or airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw when ready to serve and add frosting.
Categorized as: American, Bars, Desserts, Thanksgiving
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Do you think these would work as cupcakes?
These are bit too dense for a cupcake (unless you make mini-cupcakes). I’d recommend this recipe instead. :)
So easy and so delicious! made these last year, my then 10-yr-old son and his friends inhaled them and have been asking for them since. I will surprise them on Saturday. Thanks for sharing.
I loved these and made them a second time with one less egg and they were more like a moist bar and not so much like a cake. We liked them much better. I also added and extra ounce of cream cheese to the frosting since we love it.
The Recipe suggested here are awesome. It will be going be to prepare here at my home. Fantastic
Loved these. :)
My only comment – for the 15×10″ pan, I had to double the frosting. :)
Very moist, not overly sweet – Yummy!
I’m glad you liked these Karen! Thanks for stopping by. :)
I made the pumpkin bars. But it ended up more like a cake not bars. Did I do something wrong
Hmmm! These are supposed to be moist and fluffy, not cakey. I am thinking that you may have cooked them too long! I’m sorry that they turned out like cake bars!
Hi! Do you use pumpkin pie filling or just canned pumpkin puree? These look SOOO good! Going to make some for us and some to send to my college boy!
Just canned pumpkin puree! :)
Hi Jamielyn, have you ever made this recipe with coconut oil instead of the vegetable oil? Just wondering about the taste difference and lightness! Thanks :D
Hi Sylvia! I haven’t tried it with this recipe, but if it has worked in other recipes, I’m sure it would turn out great! :)
I just found these bars on Pinterest and had to try them. They are truly amazing and all four of us loved them. I did sub out 1/2 whole wheat flour and cut the oul and sugar just a little bit. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you loved them! They are my favorite after chilling in the fridge for a day or two. Thanks for your comment Katie! :)
These are AMAZING!!!! I baked them in a 9×13 pan because i wanted them a bit thicker and they came out perfect! Really good if you put them in the fridge for an hour or so, perfect fall desert! p.s baking time for 9×13 glass pan was 350 degrees for 35 minutes!
I’m so glad you liked these Adriane! I agree, these are my favorite right out of the fridge! :)
I make hard days easier by eating anything chocolate and curling up with a good book.
I rarely leave comments but these are so good that I have to! This is my second thanksgiving making these- on request from my in-laws because they remembered them from last year! I saw the other comment about using a 9×13 pan. That’s what I use because I don’t have the larger size. It works great- just bake an extra 10 minutes or so (about 35 minutes total). Thought that might be helpful to others who may wonder. Thanks for a fabulous recipe! (An added bonus is that they are super easy to whip up!)
I really want to try using my own homemade puree with your recipe, but I just read a post about making pumpkin puree from scratch, its seems like a bit of work…now I think I’ll just stick with the good ole’ canned stuff. Anyway I’m definitely still gonna try your recipe!! I’m sure it gonna be delicious!! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe :)
I’ve never tried making my own puree, but I have friends that have and it tends to make recipes a little more wet since there is so much moisture in the pumpkin. This is my all time favorite pumpkin recipe, I hope you enjoy it Joi! :)
I have 2 fresh pumpkins from Halloween but now I’m trying to find all kind of recipe for fresh pumpkin and i found yours, but I’m wondering how can i substitute fresh pumpkin instead of the can pumpkin?
Hi Jamielyn! Do we have to use a 15×10 inch pan or can we use an 8×11 (if so, should we lessen the amount of ingredients?)
Thank you!! THIS LOOKS DELICIOUS
You could possibly get away with using a 9×13, but I think if you used an 8×11 the texture would change. If you want to use the 8×11, I would probably half the recipe so you can get the same thickness of the pumpkin bars! Hope that helps, they are so yummy! :)
Thanks Chelsea! I’ll have to check it out! :)
These bars are very good! I made these to take to church, and they were a hit!