These pumpkin bars with homemade cream cheese frosting are a must-make fall treat! Perfectly spiced and moist pumpkin cake is topped with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting. Cut into squares and share with fellow pumpkin lovers!
Looking for the ultimate pumpkin bar recipe? Look no further! These are the best you’ll ever find! Here’s why:
- Dense, moist bar layer made with canola oil and brown sugar.
- Loaded with fresh pumpkin taste from real pumpkin puree.
- Perfectly spiced with all the warm flavors of fall like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Topped with tangy cream cheese frosting that’s the best recipe ever!
- The bars can be made by hand. No mixer required if you don’t have one!
- They stay fresh forever. This is thanks to the pumpkin puree and canola oil!
Ingredients for this recipe
- Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Canola Oil
- Vanilla Extract
- Pumpkin Puree (NOT canned pumpkin pie filling)
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Allspice, and Cloves
How to make Pumpkin Bars
- Whisk the dry ingredients. The flour, leaveners, kosher salt, and pumpkin pie spices.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Both sugars, the oil, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. This can all be done by hand!
- Bake the pumpkin bars. In a greased pan until beautiful and fragrant.
- Frost the bars. With your favorite cream cheese frosting recipe.
Whisk the dry ingredients. 
Mix the wet ingredients. 
Combine the wet and dry ingredients. 
Bake the pumpkin bars.
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Blend
While I measure out all the ingredients for the spices individually, you can absolutely substitute a pumpkin pie spice blend in this recipe if desired. Just use 1 heaping tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice in lieu of the other spices listed in this recipe.
If you want to make your own pumpkin pie spice blend at home simply combine:
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
Whisk to combine and store in a small mason jar for up to six months.
The Best Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
If you’re looking for the best cream cheese frosting to slather over your homemade pumpkin bars look no further than this recipe right here!
It’s tangy and sweet and so perfectly spreadable. And is there any better pairing than pumpkin and cream cheese? I think not!
If you’re really feeling fancy, add some grated orange zest into the frosting for a delicious citrus kick!
You May Also Enjoy
- Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Dip
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew
- Glazed Apple Slices
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 9x13 baking pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup canola oil
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9x13 baking pan with baking spray and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or whisk, mix the sugars and the oil together until fully combined. Scrape down bowl and stir in the eggs, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree until well combined and smooth.
- Gently fold in dry ingredients, scraping bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until edges are just golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove bars from the oven and let cool on rack to room temperature.
- When bars are cool, cover with a half-batch of my favorite cream cheese frosting.
Video
Notes
- Bars can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for five days or refrigerated for up to eight.
- Add the zest of one orange to the frosting, if desired.
- 1 heaping tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice can be substituted for the spice blend in this recipe, if desired.
- Refer to post for notes on making your own pumpkin pie spice blend.
Tonia says
I absolutely LOVE your style of writing! So fresh! So genuine! So transparent (don't I sound hip?!)! You have an AMAZING gift that I thought this world had lost. Thanks for delighting us with the written word, and including bonus recipes to make it that much better!!!!
Amanda says
<3
mistimaan says
Loved it.
Melissa says
Amanda is always a go-to for all things delicious, and this recipe certainly did not disappoint. It cooks up quick, and is SCRUMPTIOUS. Did I mention it'll make your house smell great? Win-win in my book!
Jeanna says
Hi,
What size can of pumpkin please? Our stores carry 15 oz and 29 oz.
Thanks !!
Amanda says
Hi Jeanna! You'll want to use a 15 ounce can of pumpkin. I will amend the recipe card to make sure it is more specific. Thanks for the question. Happy baking 🙂