The Best Pumpkin Bars I've Ever Had Recipe
These pumpkin bars are moist, richly spiced, and topped with a creamy, luscious cream cheese frosting. Perfect for fall gatherings or any time you crave a sweet treat with warm pumpkin flavors, these bars combine autumn spices with a smooth frosting that melts in your mouth. Easy to prepare and baked to perfection, they are sure to become your new favorite pumpkin dessert.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours (including cooling and chilling time)
- Yield: 24 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
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
- 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 the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 10×15-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out in one piece.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set this mixture aside for now.
- Combine wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, eggs, packed brown sugar, granulated sugar, pure maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and pure vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
- Add wet to dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Using a mixer or a whisk, blend the batter until completely smooth and combined. The batter will be thick in consistency.
- Spread and bake: Evenly spread the thick batter into your prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 28-35 minutes, checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center - it should come out clean. If the edges or top brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
- Cool bars: Remove the bars from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, for faster cooling, put the bars in the refrigerator.
- Make frosting: Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and blend for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add an extra 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar if you prefer a thicker frosting.
- Frost the bars: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the fully cooled pumpkin bars. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the frosting to set and make slicing easier.
- Serve and store: Slice the bars to serve; enjoy with or without a fork, but have a napkin handy! Store leftover frosted bars tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If unfrosted, bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use full-fat brick cream cheese for best frosting texture and flavor.
- Adjust spices according to preference—pumpkin pie spice can be homemade or store-bought.
- To avoid over-browning, tent pan with foil if needed during baking.
- Cream cheese frosting thickens after refrigeration, making slicing neater and less messy.
- Sprinkles are optional but add a fun decorative touch.