Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bars

Grab a steaming cup of coffee and treat yourself to Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting! This delicious fall recipe is made with warm spices, like cinnamon, ginger, and topped with rich cream cheese frosting. This recipe came from one of my best friends moms Chris Ruffolo.

This pumpkin bar recipe has a cake-like consistency and is the perfect way to kick off the cozy autumn season! These tasty bars are perfect for family gatherings, holiday parties. The first time I made this recipe for my Halloween Block party I had kids coming by the next day asking if we had any leftover. So now I make it every year.

Why you’ll love this amazing dessert recipe

Easy to Make

After mixing, pour the batter into the dish and bake for a few minutes. As the bars cool to room temperature, throw together the simple frosting recipe and spread it on the cooled bars — that’s it! It’s an excellent recipe to have your kids help in the kitchen. 

Warm Fall Flavor

he rich, nostalgic flavor of real pumpkin, complemented by warm spices, creates a comforting taste of fall.

his treat is guaranteed to be a huge hit, with your guests begging for more and makes a large batch

Crowd-Pleaser

How to make Easy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Don’t let the ingredient list intimidate you! This easy recipe is absolutely delish!

STEP 1 | Preheat and prep

Let’s get into the recipe by first preheating the oven to 350 degrees and lightly coating a 21″ x 15″-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

STEP 2 | Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately

Beat eggs, oil & pumpkin together in a mixing bowl. Mix Dry ingredients together (I use ziplock bag) Sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and ginger. Then, combine the dry ingredients slowly into the wet ingredients stirring in a little at a time until it’s all combined.

STEP 3 | Pour & Bake

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. After removing the recipe from the oven, cool it to room temperature on a wire rack.

Tips

• If you don’t have cooking spray, use oil or butter to grease the dish.
• Don’t overmix the batter for best results.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

As the bars cool, cream the softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Then, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until the sugar is incorporated. Increase the speed and beat until the frosting is smooth and has an ideal spreading consistency. 

Gently spread the homemade cream cheese frosting onto the cooled pumpkin bars. Then, slice and serve your delicious pumpkin bars!

Tips

• Ensure the bars are completely cooled before topping them with the cream cheese frosting.
• If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can still make this frosting recipe with a little more effort and time!
• Make the frosting just before you are ready to frost the cake. You want the mixture to be at room temperature to spread easily over the bars.

Variations and substitutions

• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars. Exchange the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free alternative, like almond flour, and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free to make this recipe safe and enjoyable to those allergic to gluten.
• Add nuts. Sprinkle your favorite nuts, like walnuts, into the batter for a bit of texture in the pumpkin spice bars.
• Chocolate chips. If desired, mix white chocolate chips or classic semi-sweet ones into the batter to bring a chocolatey twist to the recipe.
• Low-fat option. If preferred, use low-fat cream cheese instead of full-fat to reduce the fat content of the frosting.
• Spice flavor. Switch out the various fall spices and still get that signature pumpkin spice flavor with a pumpkin pie spice blend that includes most of the spices the recipe calls for.

Storage and reheating tips

• Store leftover dessert bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days.
• If you want to freeze the bars for more extended storage, wait to make the frosting until just before serving because cream cheese frosting does not freeze well.

Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Bar Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 small can pumpkin
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ginger

Cream Cheese Ingrediants

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 4 oz. cream cheese softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 21″ x 15″ inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large Ziplock add dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger.
3. In a large mixing bowl together add the wet ingredients together eggs, oil, and pumpkin.
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture slowly and stir until the flour is fully incorporated.
5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions

1. Cream the softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until the sugar is incorporated. Increase the speed and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and spreading consistency. Spread on the cooled pumpkin bars.

Notes

• If you don’t have cooking spray, use oil or butter to grease the dish.
• Don’t overmix the batter for best results.
• Ensure the bars are completely cooled before topping them with the cream cheese frosting.
• If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can still make this frosting recipe with a little more effort and time!
• Make the frosting just before you are ready to frost the cake. You want the mixture to be at room temperature to spread easily over the bars.