Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting (Printable)
Moist, spiced pumpkin bars with creamy frosting—ready in 45 minutes for your fall gatherings.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Pumpkin Bars
01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
10 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting
14 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
16 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 - Pinch of salt
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add pumpkin puree and mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula just until combined—be careful not to overmix.
05 - Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 22-27 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan.
06 - Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; continue beating until light and fluffy.
07 - Spread frosting evenly over completely cooled bars. Cut into 16 squares and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly moist without being heavy or dense like some pumpkin breads can be
- Frosting to cake ratio is absolutely perfect, thick enough to swoop but not overwhelming
02 -
- Letting the bars cool completely before frosting is crucial or your frosting will melt right off
- Room temperature ingredients for the frosting are not optional, they make the difference between silky smooth and lumpy
03 -
- Use the parchment paper overhang like handles to lift the entire batch out before cutting
- Warm your knife under hot water and wipe dry between cuts for the cleanest squares