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–+ servings
Side view of a pumpkin bar with cream cheese frosting on a plate.
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Cream Cheese Frosted Pumpkin Bars

Soft, spiced Pumpkin Bars swirled with warm fall flavor and topped with a thick, tangy layer of cream cheese frosting. An easy dessert that's ready in about an hour and perfect for sharing!
Author: Nikki Lee
Servings: 9 bars
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients 

Pumpkin Bars

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup canned pumpkin purée

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish

  • Ground cinnamon

Instructions

For the pumpkin bars

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9x9-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides for easy removal.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, and nutmeg.
  • In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin purée until smooth.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
  • Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
  • Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  • Allow the bars to cool completely before frosting.

For the cream cheese frosting

  • In a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, vanilla extract, and butter until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the powdered sugar gradually and beat until light and fluffy.
  • Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled pumpkin bars.
  • Lightly dust the tops with ground cinnamon or nutmeg before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Use canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. They are not the same and pie filling will throw off the sweetness and texture.
  • Don't overmix the batter once the flour is added, or the bars can turn out dense instead of soft.
  • Let the bars cool completely before frosting so the cream cheese frosting doesn't melt or slide off.
  • For the cleanest slices, chill the frosted bars for 20–30 minutes before cutting, and wipe your knife clean between cuts.
  • Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, since the cream cheese frosting needs to stay chilled.
GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN BARS
Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend (one with xanthan gum already included) and measure it the same way, cup for cup. Everything else in the recipe stays the same. Personally, I like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bar | Calories: 374 kcal | Carbohydrates: 58 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 9 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g | Trans Fat: 0.2 g | Cholesterol: 57 mg | Sodium: 329 mg | Potassium: 119 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 45 g | Vitamin A: 3701 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 76 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Find it online:

www.soulfullymade.com/pumpkin-bars-with-cream-cheese-frosting/