Learn how to make the best pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting in a jelly roll pan. Made with real pumpkin, these easy pumpkin bars are perfectly moist with a tender, cake-like texture. They’re the ultimate fall dessert to feed a crowd, and they’re great for potlucks and holiday dinners.
Whether it’s buckeye bars or peanut butter corn flake bars, I love anything baked in a sheet pan. Lately I’ve been really enjoying these pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, and they’re so easy to make! If you’re looking for an easy dessert to take to Thanksgiving dinner this year, you should seriously consider giving this recipe a try.
Why You’ll Love My Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting
- This is the best pumpkin bars recipe because I use 100% real pumpkin puree and real butter for a richer flavor and an ultra-moist, cake-like texture.
- They’re baked in an 11×17 jelly roll pan that you probably already have in your kitchen. The shallow pan allows the bars to bake quickly and evenly, making it perfect for feeding a crowd! Because the pan is so shallow, these no-fail pumpkin bars are also less prone to falling after baking.
- I’ll show you how to make a tangy cream cheese frosting with just 4 ingredients. A thick layer of frosting perfectly balances the warm fall spices in these bars.
Ingredients & Substitutions Notes
- All-Purpose Flour – Any white all-purpose flour will work for this recipe. One common mistake that I see people make with pumpkin bars is to accidentally use too much flour. Instead of scooping out the flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead, and then scrape off all the flour with the flat-edge of a knife for the most accurate measurement.
- Spices – You’ll need ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg to make pumpkin bars. Or you can use about 2 & 3/4 teaspoons of your own homemade pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Salted Butter – The secret ingredient to making the best pumpkin bars recipe is salted butter. In my opinion, butter makes richer, far tastier pumpkin bars than oil.
- Canned Pumpkin – You can use a can of pumpkin puree from the store, or learn how to make your own homemade pumpkin puree right at home. Just make sure that you use 100% pure pumpkin puree, and not canned pumpkin pie mix.
- Cream Cheese – Be sure to use full-fat block cream cheese for the homemade cream cheese frosting. I like to set it out on the counter an hour or 2 before hand so that it has time to soften before whipping up the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar – You’ll also need a little bit of powdered sugar for that cream cheese frosting, also known as Confectioners sugar.
How to Make Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting
Before getting started, pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Then butter or line an 11×17 jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
How to Make the Pumpkin Bars
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter with the sugar.
- Add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract to the mixture, whisking ’til smooth.
- Stir in the pumpkin ’til mixed together well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, including the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients ’til combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter evenly to the edges of the pan. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, ’til a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
How to Make Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together ’til smooth and creamy. An electric hand mixer helps with this step.
- Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar, beating ’til fluffy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the bars.
That’s it! Slice into squares and serve. Just remember that these will need to be stored in the fridge since they have a cream cheese frosting.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s
This is most likely because you over-mixed the cake batter. This is why I recommend mixing both the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, and then gently folding the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients only ’til well combined. Be careful that you don’t beat the cake batter too much, because it can lead to too much gluten development and dense, rubbery pumpkin bars.
Stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap, pumpkin bars with cream cheese usually last up to 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can freeze pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting; I recommend freezing them individually. The best way to do this is to place each pumpkin bar in the freezer for 30-60 minutes ’til the cream cheese layer is nice and firm. Then wrap each bar individually with plastic wrap, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then you can just transfer them into the refrigerator the night before you’re ready to eat them, so that they have plenty of time to thaw.
Optional Add-Ins & Recipe Variations
- Mix chopped pecans or walnuts into the pumpkin bar batter!
- You can also add sprinkles, chocolate chips, or cute little pumpkin candies to the top.
- For a little extra nutrition, add dried cranberries or raisins to the cake batter. It’s really good!
More Easy Pumpkin Desserts
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Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup salted butter melted
- 2 cups cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups canned pumpkin
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Pumpkin Bars
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F; butter or line a 11×17 jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, including the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter with the sugar.
- Add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract to the mixture, whisking 'til smooth.
- Stir in the pumpkin 'til mixed together well.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients 'til combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter evenly to the edges of the pan. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, 'til a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together 'til smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar, beating 'til fluffy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the bars.
- Slice into squares and serve. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
