Description

Deliciously moist pumpkin bars topped with a creamy, smooth cream cheese frosting. These bars combine warm fall spices with the natural sweetness of pumpkin puree, baked to perfection and topped with a rich frosting that’s easy to make. Perfect for autumn gatherings, holiday treats, or anytime you crave a spiced dessert bar.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Pumpkin Bars Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (or avocado oil, or any mild-flavored oil)
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) package low-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups sifted powdered sugar

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare the Pan: Heat your oven to 350°F. Mist a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to ensure the bars don’t stick.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, fine sea salt, and baking soda until all the dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Make the Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet pumpkin mixture and stir gently until just combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the bars tender.
Bake the Bars: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish and spread it out smoothly. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once done, transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the bars cool to room temperature.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the softened low-fat cream cheese, softened butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Gradually add in the sifted powdered sugar, mixing until the frosting reaches your desired thickness and smoothness.
Frost and Serve: Once the pumpkin bars have completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Slice into bars, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

For an ultra-smooth frosting, sift the powdered sugar before incorporating it into the cream cheese mixture.
Leftover bars can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months.
When refrigerating, you can simply cover the baking dish tightly with foil if you prefer not to transfer the bars to another container.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar (about 1/12th of recipe)
Calories: 290
Sugar: 28g
Sodium: 250mg
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 4.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 38g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 45mg