Description
These pumpkin bars are incredibly moist, soft, and sturdy with a perfectly spiced pumpkin flavor. They feature a rich, creamy spiced cream cheese frosting that complements the dense pumpkin cake base, making them the best pumpkin bars you’ll ever have. Ideal for fall gatherings or anytime you want a festive, flavorful dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Optional: sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 10×15-inch baking pan thoroughly or line it with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to lift the bars out as a whole for easy removal later.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until evenly combined. Set aside this dry mix for now.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract together until smooth and fully combined.
- Mix Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a mixer or a whisk to combine everything thoroughly until the batter is uniform and thick.
- Bake the Bars: Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 28 to 35 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. If the edges brown too fast, loosely cover the pan with foil to prevent over-browning.
- Cool Completely: Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool. Allow the bars to cool completely to room temperature—about 45 minutes. To speed up cooling, you can place them in the refrigerator after this initial period.
- Prepare Frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds to incorporate, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you prefer a thicker frosting, add an additional 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar and mix until combined.
- Frost the Bars: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled pumpkin bars. To set the frosting and make slicing cleaner, refrigerate the frosted bars for at least 30 minutes before cutting.
- Serve and Store: Serve the pumpkin bars with or without a fork—but definitely have napkins handy! Store leftover frosted bars tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you skip frosting, store the plain pumpkin bars at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Notes
- These pumpkin bars stand out for their soft yet sturdy texture, differing from lighter, cakier bars.
- The spiced cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the dense, flavorful pumpkin base.
- You can make your own pumpkin pie spice or use a store-bought blend.
- Using parchment paper with an overhang allows easy removal of bars without breaking.
- Refrigeration of the bars before frosting helps them cool properly and maintain structure.
- Optional sprinkles add a festive touch if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (approx. 1.5 x 2 inch piece)
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
