Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Soft, moist pumpkin bars made with melted butter and pumpkin pie spice, baked in one 9x13 pan and topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. A family-favorite dessert for Thanksgiving and fall holiday parties.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking pan (any type)
- 2 mixing bowls
- whisk
- stand mixer
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree from a 15 oz can; not pumpkin pie filling (or homemade puree)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice store-bought or homemade
- avocado oil spray for greasing the pan
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ground cinnamon or nutmeg optional, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with avocado oil spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Don't overmix.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Glass pans can heat unevenly, so start checking a few minutes early.)
- Cool in the pan until cool to the touch, about 1 hour, before frosting.
- For the frosting: in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin pie spice until smooth and creamy.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled bars. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg, if desired. Cut into about 24 bars.
Notes
- Butter: let the melted butter cool for a few minutes so it doesn't cook the eggs.
- Pumpkin: use plain canned pumpkin puree (any brand), not pumpkin pie filling. Homemade puree works too: use 1 cup.
- Pumpkin pie spice: store-bought is easiest, or make your own.
- Pan: any 9x13-inch pan works. Glass can heat unevenly, so check for doneness early.
- Cooling: cool until cool to the touch, about 1 hour, before frosting, or the frosting will melt.
- Frosting: beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth before adding the powdered sugar.
- Gluten free (untested): try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum; rest the batter 10–15 minutes before baking.
- Storage: cream cheese frosting isn't shelf stable. Store frosted bars in an airtight glass container in the fridge for 3–4 days. Don't leave them out more than 2 hours.
- Make ahead: bake the bars a day ahead, cover and refrigerate, and frost the day you serve them. The frosting keeps, covered, in the fridge up to 3 days; re-beat before using.
- Freezing: freeze frosted bars in a single layer until firm, then store in a freezer-safe glass container with parchment between layers for up to 1 month. Unfrosted bars freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Nutrition: estimate per bar (1/24 of the pan, with frosting), calculated from USDA FoodData Central data. Avocado oil spray and the optional sprinkle are not included.
Nutrition
Serving: 1barCalories: 303kcalCarbohydrates: 44.9gProtein: 2.2gFat: 13.4gSaturated Fat: 8.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 50.5mgSodium: 196.8mgPotassium: 63.1mgFiber: 0.6gSugar: 37.5gVitamin A: 2013IUCalcium: 37.6mgIron: 0.7mg
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