Name: Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
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!)

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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!

A pumpkin bar topped with cream cheese frosting on a piece of parchment paper.

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!

WATCH THE RECIPE VIDEO!

A pumpkin spice bar cake topped with cream cheese frosting sits on a piece of parchment paper set over a cooling rack.

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

All of the ingredients for homemade pumpkin bars are arranged in various glass bowls and measuring cups on a rimmed baking sheet.

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.

A hand whisks the dry ingredients for pumpkin bars. — Whisk the dry ingredients.

Wet ingredients are blended together. — Whisk the dry ingredients.

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.

A piece of homemade pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting on a piece of parchment paper.

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!

A batch of pumpkin bars topped with cream cheese frosting are cut into small squares on a piece of parchment paper.

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!

A frosted, perfect pumpkin bar sits on a small white plate.

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Cream cheese frosted pumpkin bars on a piece of parchment paper.

Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

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!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pumpkin bars, pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin cake

Servings: servings

Calories: 181kcal

Author: Amanda Gajdosik

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.

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.

Nutrition

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