The BEST pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting – A super soft pumpkin spiced sheet cake topped with a delicious creamy topping. This pumpkin bars recipe will become your new favorite fall staple!
I love to bake all things pumpkin as soon as fall hits. These pumpkin bars taste seriously divine, as well as my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin coffee cake, pumpkin cream cheese bread and pumpkin dump cake.
Pumpkin bars
It’s pumpkin time – one of the best times of year. One of my ALL time favorite pumpkin desserts is pumpkin bars! However, they must be super moist and fluffy with rich cream cheese frosting. Don’t get me wrong… I love everything pumpkin but these easy pumpkin bars just seem to beat them all. If you’re looking for a homemade pumpkin bar recipe from scratch – look no further!
This pumpkin squares post was original posted in 2012, but I had to bring it back for all my new followers. I even updated a few photos for you :) These pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are everything I love about fall. I first got this pumpkin bars recipe when I got married and have made them every year since then. They are a fall staple around our house. My kids love to decorate them with candy corn and pumpkins. You can always sprinkle a little cinnamon or nutmeg on top of the easy pumpkin bars as well.
How to make pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting
These pumpkin bars are simple to make and taste absolutely delicious. Scroll down for the printable pumpkin bars recipe.
1. Gather all your ingredients. Preheat the oven, butter your pan and set aside.
2. Start mixing your ingredients together. I find that sifting the flour and spices together makes these bars extra fluffy. I also find not over-mixing the batter helps the pumpkin bars to stay nice and fluffy.
3. Bake pumpkin squares just until lightly browned. You do not want to burn them. Then allow pumpkin bars to cool and frost with the most delicious cream cheese frosting … and try not to sneak a bite during the process ;)
Toppings to add to pumpkin bars
- Candy corn
- Candy pumpkins
- Chopped pecans
- Chopped walnuts
- Chocolate chips
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
The BEST pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting
Ingredients
Bars:
- 4 eggs
- 1 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 16 ounces pumpkin puree
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Cream cheese frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 15×10 inch jelly roll pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin just until combined. In a medium sized bowl sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, soda, and spices. Add to pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined. Spread in greased 15×10 inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick comes clean. Allow to cool.
- For the frosting, cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Frost on pumpkin bars.
- Slice into pumpkin squares and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Come on over and grab yourself a plate of these easy pumpkin bars and glass of milk! Enjoy!
Love them made the many times
Delicious! Do you know if you can freeze these? For the frosting, I used 8 oz cream cheese and additional powdered sugar since most recipes were 50/50 cream cheese and butter.
Hi Cynthia! I would probably recommend freezing without the cream cheese frosting and then adding that fresh. :)
I made these today and substituted the nutmeg with pumpkin pie spice. Yummy! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed them! :)
Absolutely delicious! I was looking for something to bake for a group of ladies I was having over to my new home. I’m not usually a fan of the “bar”-type dessert, but these are so moist and delicious that I’m making them again to take to my grandson’s 21st birthday party tomorrow!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! :)
I made them and took 50 minutes to cook, 9 x 13. Seemed wet after and dropped about 1/4 inch after took out of oven. I made the purée from scratch and drained water out of pumpkin purée with cheese cloth. Was this a mistake? Taste good but kinda heavy
They are usually light and fluffy. I haven’t made with homemade puree, but I would think draining the extra water would be a great idea! I’m sorry they turned out heavy for you.
I made 2 of these today and followed the recipe to a tee. My question is, the icing is a little runny. Will it set up if I put it in the fridge overnight?
I would probably recommend adding more powdered sugar. It will set up a bit in the fridge though. :)