Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
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These Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting are soft, moist, and warmly spiced with pumpkin, cinnamon, and fall spices, then topped with a creamy homemade frosting. The tender pumpkin cake and tangy cream cheese frosting make these bars a favorite fall dessert.
Try my Banana Bars Recipe next time! You’ll also love our Libby’s Pumpkin Bread.
Quick Look: Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Servings: 24 people
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian, can be made dairy-free and gluten-free
- Method: Baked pumpkin bars + whipped cream cheese frosting
- Technique: Mix the batter, bake, then spread with frosting
- Flavor/Texture: Moist, spiced, sweet, cake-like
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
These pumpkin bars are everything I love about cozy fall baking—warm spices, a moist and fluffy crumb (never dense!), and just the right balance of sweetness and pumpkin flavor.
The tangy cream cheese frosting adds that perfect creamy finish. It’s a simple recipe, but with an Italian warmth that makes it feel like home. Pro tip: Make sure to use pure canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) for the best texture and flavor.
Try my German Apple Pancake for another fall treat.
Made With AmorE,
“This is very good and easy to make!”
– Roseanne
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
These pumpkin bars use pantry-friendly baking ingredients along with pumpkin puree and warm spices, finished with a rich cream cheese frosting.
- Pumpkin Puree: Brings moisture, a tender texture, and the classic fall pumpkin flavor.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice and Cinnamon: Infuse the bars with warm, cozy spices that make every bite taste like autumn.
- All-Purpose Flour: Creates the soft, cake-like texture that makes these pumpkin bars so light and fluffy.
- Brown and White Sugar: Add sweetness while giving the bars a hint of caramel-like depth and keeping them moist.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: A rich blend of cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar that adds the perfect tangy-sweet finish.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Frosting Options: Try maple cream cheese frosting, a simple vanilla glaze, or use dairy-free cream cheese and butter for a dairy-free version.
- Dietary Swaps: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and dairy-free cream cheese and butter to make the recipe gluten-free and dairy-free.
- Homemade Pumpkin: Use homemade pumpkin puree for an extra fresh, seasonal flavor. Try my Pumpkin Pie recipe, which also has homemade puree.
- Flavor Add-Ins: Mix in chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, toasted pecans, or add spices like cardamom, nutmeg, or allspice for a unique twist. Try my Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake next.
How To Make Frosted Pumpkin Bars
These pumpkin bars come together quickly: mix the pumpkin batter, bake until tender, cool completely, then spread with homemade cream cheese frosting. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Add all of the wet ingredients to a bowl.
- Mix to combine until a smooth texture.
- Stir to combine the wet and dry ingredients until fully incorporated without overmixing.
- Spread the pumpkin bar batter in a baking pan and bake.
- While the bars bake, make the homemade cream cheese frosting.
- Beat with electric mixers to a smooth and creamy texture.
- Spread the creamy frosting over the cooled pumpkin cake in the pan.
- Cut the sheet cake into bars.
Pumpkin Bars with Frosting FAQs
Pumpkin bars are typically denser and cut into squares, while pumpkin cake is lighter, fluffier, and often served as slices with more height. Both usually have cream cheese frosting as well.
The center should look set and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking, which can make the bars dry.
Use oil instead of butter, reduce the leavening slightly, and avoid overmixing the batter—this helps create a denser, fudgier texture.
Frosted or unfrosted, they keep beautifully in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge and enjoy like they’re freshly baked.
Tip: Thaw frozen bars in the fridge overnight, uncovered, to prevent condensation from making the frosting soggy.
Serving Suggestions
These pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are the perfect sweet ending to a cozy fall meal. Serve them after comforting dishes like Pumpkin Ravioli, Mushroom Ragu with Creamy Polenta, or Juicy Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin paired with Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until the ingredients are combined for tender pumpkin bars.
- Use room-temperature cream cheese and butter. They blend more smoothly into the frosting.
- Cool the bars completely before frosting. Warm bars can soften or melt the cream cheese frosting.
- Don’t overbake. Remove the bars when the center is set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree lets you control the sweetness and spices in the recipe.
More Delicious Dessert Bars
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Pumpkin Bars Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Bars:
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil, or avocado oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (block-style)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt, about ¼ teaspoon
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar, adjust to taste
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon for a warm twist
Instructions
Prepare the Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl add the pumpkin purée, white sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla whisk or beat with electric mixer until smooth and well com
- Sift in the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt to the bowl with the wet ingrediejnts . Mix with a dough hook or spatuala until well combined, but do not over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract and salt. Mix until combined.
- Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time, beating until light and creamy. Add the optional cinnamon here, if using.
Frost and Slice the Bars
- Once the bars are completely cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top.
- Cut into squares or rectangles. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until the ingredients are combined for tender pumpkin bars.
- Use room-temperature cream cheese and butter. They blend more smoothly into the frosting.
- Cool the bars completely before frosting. Warm bars can soften or melt the cream cheese frosting.
- Don’t overbake. Remove the bars when the center is set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree lets you control the sweetness and spices in the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So good! Cream cheese frosting is perfect!! Love your recipes๐
This makes me so happy to hear, thank you!!
That cream cheese frosting really is the best part, isnโt it? ๐ So glad you loved it.
If you enjoyed these, you should try my carrot cake sheet cake next time, same cozy flavor with that perfect cream cheese topping.
๐ Mangia!
This is very good and easy to make!
So happy you loved this easy and yummy recipe!
The best pumpkin bars EVER!