Description

Deliciously soft and sturdy pumpkin bars loaded with warm spices and topped with a spiced cream cheese frosting. These bars showcase an incredible pumpkin flavor with a perfect balance of sweetness and spice, making them the best pumpkin bars you’ll ever have. Ideal for fall baking, they are easy to prepare and a crowd-pleaser for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 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 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

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 10×15-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper having enough overhang to easily lift out the bars after baking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pure maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed.
Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a mixer or a whisk to blend until fully combined into a thick batter.
Bake the Bars: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 28-35 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should come out clean. If the top or edges brown too fast, tent loosely with foil.
Cool the Bars: Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, you can refrigerate the bars to speed up cooling.
Prepare Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with a handheld or stand mixer on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then high for 2 minutes. For thicker frosting, add an extra 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar.
Frost the Bars: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to help set the frosting, making slicing easier and cleaner.
Serve and Store: Enjoy the pumpkin bars with or without a fork but keep napkins nearby! Cover leftover bars tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If unfrosted, store at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Notes

These pumpkin bars are soft, sturdy, and richly spiced rather than light and cakey.
The spiced cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the pumpkin bars for a delicious combination.
Using parchment paper with overhang makes lifting the bars out easier.
You can speed up cooling by refrigerating after 45 minutes at room temperature.
If the frosting firms up too much in the refrigerator, let bars sit at room temperature briefly before serving.
Optional sprinkles can add a festive touch.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories: 320
Sugar: 28g
Sodium: 220mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 9g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 38g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 40mg