Pumpkin Bars

5 from 2 votes

These pumpkin bars, topped off with a creamy homemade cream cheese frosting, are full of flavor, moist, and perfect for fall. They will heat up your kitchen and have it smelling like a heavenly pumpkin patch!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 295kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bar Batter

2 cups all-purpose flour
2½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp salt
1½ cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15 oz can pumpkin
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz package cream cheese softened
½ cup (1 stick) salted sweet cream butter softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
2 tsp clear vanilla flavoring

Instructions

Pumpkin Bars

Preheat the oven to 350*. Generously spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set it aside.
In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and salt. Set it aside.
Using either a stand mixer, or a medium size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, canned pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
With the mixer speed on low, add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each egg.
Keeping the mixer speed on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Blend just until all the ingredients are well combined.
Evenly pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 22 - 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the pumpkin bars to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Using a medium size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter and clear vanilla flavoring for about 1 - 1 ½ minutes.
Lower the mixer speed to low, slowly alternate the powdered sugar and milk. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until the frosting is smooth.
Using a silicone spatula, evenly spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled pumpkin bars, and slice either 5 slices x 5 slices or 5 slices x 6 slices.

Notes

Storage :

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can freeze the bars before frosting for up to 3 months. Allow the bars to
Come to room temperature before frosting.

Tips:

You can overlap the parchment paper on the ends to aid in removing the bars, if you wish to remove the bars from the baking pan.
If you wish, you can substitute the whole cup of vegetable oil with ½ cup applesauce and ½ cup vegetable oil.
If you are wanting a “spicier” pumpkin pie bars, you can increase the pumpkin spice to 1 Tablespoon.

Nutrition