Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Wonderfully fluffy and spiced pumpkin bars are topped with a layer of smooth cream cheese frosting for the ultimate fall dessert. A quick treat, these easy pumpkin bars will be on repeat all season long!
There’s something so delightfully cozy about pumpkin baked goods. For me, anything made with pumpkin signals the start of fall – new routines, cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and more cozy inside time.
These homemade pumpkin bars are no exception and I’m sure you will love them for all of the same reasons I do:
- Simple to prepare
- Made with basic fall baking ingredients
- Wonderfully spiced
- Topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting
- Your kitchen will smell amazing while they bake!
- A great make-ahead dessert option for busy fall months
- Always a hit!
Quick Ingredient Notes
These bars use mostly all pantry staples, but I wanted to highlight a couple of important notes on some ingredients:
- Spices – I use cinnamon to simply spice these cinnamon bars; if you prefer more/different spices, then keep the cinnamon, but dial it back to 1½ teaspoons cinnamon and add another 1½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Canned Pumpkin – Be sure to use plain pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling.
- Canola Oil – You can use any all-purpose baking oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, corn oil, or safflower oil.
- Optional Add-Ins – While I make these pumpkin bars as-is, you can add 1 cup of add-ins like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or coconut.
- Cream Cheese (for the frosting) – Use full-fat cream cheese that comes in a block (not the spreadable kind) – this will ensure that your frosting is not thin or watery.
Frosting Variations
While a classic cream cheese frosting pairs wonderfully with pumpkin, you can play around with different flavors; some suggestions are below:
- Whipped Cream Cheese Variation – If you’d like a lighter frosting, I have a whipped cream frosting that is stabilized with whipped cream, used on my pumpkin spice latte cupcakes.
- Cinnamon Variation – If you’d like to make cinnamon cream cheese frosting (like the kind that tops my apple cupcakes), simply add 1½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon when you add the powdered sugar.
- Maple Variation – You can add maple to the frosting (it will have a similar flavor to the filling for the pumpkin whoopie pies) by using maple extract. This will add great maple flavor without causing the frosting to become runny, which can happen with using maple syrup. I suggest 2 teaspoons of maple extract.
How to Make the Pumpkin Bars
This is a perfect recipe to keep stashed away for when you need a quick and easy fall dessert that doesn’t require a trip to the store. Prep time is a mere 15 minutes; here’s how they come together:
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. You can use a metal pan or a glass pan. Keep in mind that metal pans heat more evenly, so if you have one, I always recommend using metal for baking recipes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking powder, and salt).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (pumpkin, sugar, oil, and eggs).
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a whisk or rubber spatula to gently stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting and spread on top of the bars with an offset spatula.
Some pumpkin bar recipes are a little bit denser and more “bar” like, but my recipe for traditional pumpkin bars is light, fluffy, and very much like cake – pumpkin cake bars!
If you prefer a thinner, denser pumpkin bar, you can bake these in a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan and reduce the baking time (start checking for doneness around 20 minutes).
Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing Tips
Classic pumpkin bars are a great make-ahead recipe! See tips below:
- Make Ahead: I always make these the day before I plan to serve! For one day, you can keep them at room temperature, then store them in the refrigerator, covered tightly with plastic wrap.
- Make-Ahead Frosting – The frosting itself can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will firm up in the fridge, so allow it to come to room temperature before spreading on the bars.
- Storage: Keep frosted pumpkin bars covered at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
- Freezing: These bars freeze wonderfully! Place in an airtight container (if you need to stack them, place a piece of parchment paper between layers) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and serve cold or bring to room temperature before serving.
Try These Pumpkin Recipes Next:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Classic Pumpkin Roll
- Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Watch the Recipe Video:
If you make these pumpkin bars and love them, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin
- 1⅔ cups (330 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (198 g) canola oil
- 4 eggs
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups (227 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese, chilled and cut into 8 pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan; set aside.
- Make the Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs until smooth and thoroughly combined. Pour the flour mixture over the pumpkin mixture and whisk or stir gently until incorporated and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, smoothing out the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on low speed until smooth, then mix for an additional 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-low and add the cream cheese one piece at a time and mix until smooth, then mix for an additional 2 minutes.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Cut into squares and serve. Store leftovers covered, at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Pan: A 9×13-inch metal pan is recommended, though glass will work, too. If you prefer a thinner, denser pumpkin bar, you can bake these in a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan and reduce the baking time (start checking for doneness around 20 minutes).
- Canned Pumpkin: Be sure to purchase the pure pumpkin puree, NOT the pumpkin pie mix, which includes sugar and seasonings.
- Cinnamon: You can add pumpkin pie spice if you want additional flavors, such as nutmeg, ginger, cloves, etc. Reduce cinnamon to 1½ teaspoons and add 1½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Canola Oil: You can substitute vegetable oil or any other neutral-flavored oil, such as grapeseed oil, corn oil, or sunflower oil.
- Optional Add-Ins – While I make these pumpkin bars as-is, you can add 1 cup of add-ins like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or coconut.
- Frosting: You can simply dust the cake with powdered sugar to go a no-frosting route, or use another favorite frosting such as vanilla buttercream, seven-minute frosting, whipped cream cheese frosting, or cinnamon frosting, or make a maple frosting by adding 2 teaspoons maple extract along with the vanilla extract.
- Make Ahead: I always make these the day before I plan to serve! For one day, you can keep them at room temperature, then store them in the refrigerator, covered tightly with plastic wrap.
- Make-Ahead Frosting – The frosting itself can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will firm up in the fridge, so allow it to come to room temperature before spreading on the bars.
- Storage: Keep frosted pumpkin bars covered at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
- Freezing: These bars freeze wonderfully! Place in an airtight container (if you need to stack them, place a piece of parchment paper between layers) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and serve cold or bring to room temperature before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Photography by Dee Frances.
Quick, easy and delicious!
These were fantastic. I dispise the rubbery pumpkin bar recipes I have had in the past and this turned out great! The directions for the frosting were different than i have used before and it was wonderful. I am a big fan of The Brown Eyed Bakers recipes. My go to!
Made it for work and all, even people who said they are not fans of pumpkin, loved it.
Delish! These bars were moist and tasty!
Absolutely delicious! I have not tasted a cake this good in a long time. I cut it in half and froze it, then used it for 2 separate occasions. Everyone just loved it. Very easy to prepare too. Thank you.
Excellent recipe. The family loved them! I did 1 tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves.
Michelle: do you think the recipe would hold up to a bundt cake form??
Yes, I think it would!
I love trying New recipe. I’m 87 years old and I love to cook. Thank you
Hi
In Australia canned pumpkin is not easy to find. Is it easy to replace with equal amount of plain puréed cooked pumpkin?
Yes, homemade pumpkin puree’ works really well. This is a lovely yummy easy recipe. This time, I’m going to substitute acorn squash puree for the pumpkin. I ‘m quite sure it’ll be just as yummy. ❤️
The cake is light and fluffy, and the frosting is delicious. I’m not a fan of cream cheese frosting, but this is sinfully good.
I took this in to work to share and it was a big hit! I added some ginger and nutmeg and baked it in a jelly roll pan so there would be plenty of pieces. Everyone thought it was delicious and came back for seconds, thirds, fourths….!
I make these in a high-sided cookie sheet. Need to adjust baking time accordingly, but makes at least 24 squares of nice thickness!
So moist and yummy. I used pumpkin spice in place of the cinnamon. Will definitely make again.
Hi Michelle,
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for this wonderful recipe! This has been my go-to pumpkin cake recipe for the past 2 years and it never fails me – all my friends and family who have had this cake love it, and I have never had to look for another one. It’s so hard to not eat more than I probably should, haha ;) thanks again!
Michelle,
I made this last night and brought it to work. Everyone loved it! It is so fluffy and moist. I put a thin layer of frosting as I know many people don’t like too much on there–becomes sweet. My husband was upset that I was taking it away from him. It is the perfect pumpkin dessert. I also tried the Twix tart a couple of months ago and it was yummy and fun to make! I love the recipes I have tried. I will put this on my blog too! Thanks for the sweet treats :)
Best,
Marale
Yum!! I did 1/3 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce in place of 1 cup oil and it came out great! A little like carrot cake, but easier!!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. My grandmother used to make these every year and I loved them! When I got married 20 years ago, we moved several states away and I never got her recipe. She passed away 11 years ago; funny how you long for the strangest things when your loved ones are gone. I’ve been searching for a recipe every fall for several years. I can’t wait to make these! They look exactly like hers! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi there! I am completely new to baking and I decided to give these a try. I found this site after doing a search for “cupcakes”, because I’m tired of store bought stale cupcakes with a list of ingredients a mile long. Your recipe index truly captivated me, and I wondered if it’s too late for a mid 30’s gal like myself to learn how to bake, considering I’ve never baked, not even from a pre-made mix. So I thought I’d try these pumpkin bars, because they look delicious and don’t require baking tools I don’t have. Just a wire whisk, which I found in a drawer. Well, I followed your recipe exactly and they came out just as pictured and tasted absolutely delicious! I had to stop my husband, pumpkin-addict that he is, from gobbling up all the bars. I can’t believe I actually made something so delicious. I have since made the dutch apple pie bars, which came out good too. Tomorrow I am tackling the Guinness Stew recipe with cheddar bay biscuits and hoping I didn’t take on too much.
Crazy as this may sound, it makes me feel more connected to my mom and grandma to cook and bake from scratch. They passed away a few years ago. It’s been a tough few years. Learning how to bake something they would have loved really lifted my spirits.
Hi Alisha, Thank you so much for taking the time to drop a note. I’m so glad you enjoyed the pumpkin bars, and yes, anyone can learn to bake! I’m so sorry for your losses, but am happy that spending time in the kitchen can make you feel closer to them.
Hello! I just found your food blog a week ago and already I’m bookmarking all I want to try! i just made these bars last night and actually made two 8×5 pans, one for home and one for work. They came out great! Only problem I had was accidentally dropping a bit of regular sugar into my icing, it made it a bit crunchy but nothing anyone complained about LOL This is a great recipe and will be added to my collection!
Hi there!
I am so excited to see a post re: cream cheese frosting. Here is my dilemma – I am delivering carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting on Monday, 11/19 that will be eaten on Thursday, 11/22. I know that refrigerating cakes = death; however, I do not want to let the cream cheese go bad by leaving it out so long. The dates are not flexible. Do you have any suggestions?? Thanks in advance!
Hi Victoria, Unfortunately you really only have those two options – refrigerate, or leave them out. I would not leave them out for that long, so you’d need to refrigerate them. Make sure they are in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
I made this the other day & it was a big hit! Now i would like to know if the same recipe could be used to make cupcakes & if so do i just transfer batter to liners with no change to recipe?
I made these into cupcakes and they were amazing! Just decrease the cook time a bit and keep an eye on them!
Made these for the office Halloween party yesterday….I am the office hero! THANKS!!!
At the end of Monday’s work day, we decided to have a potluck on Halloween. With little notice, I panicked and came to your website. Your lemon burst cookies are a crowd favorite at work any time I bring them in, but I wanted to do something new, so I made this cake. It is nerve-racking to bring in something new (especially since I didn’t have time to taste test!), but your recipes never fail me. Everyone loved this cake. Thank you for being so reliable. I have long thought that I couldn’t bake, but maybe it’s not me. Maybe I wasn’t on the right website with the right recipes!
Aw, I’m so glad you’re enjoying baking! Happy to hear these were a hit at the office!
Yum, yum, yum! Made these but had to substitute, I only had 3 eggs, so I used 1/4 cup of chunky applesauce (had no plain ;) ) for the 4th egg, and didn’t have any canola oil, so I melted a cup of butter (salted) and it was sooooooooo, SO, fantastic. Not going to change a thing, because it turned out wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! It was devoured!
I just made these and they are DELICIOUSSSSSS – not only does my apartment smell like fall, but the hallway outside does too :) i made a few modifications – instead of just cinnamon, i essentially made my own pumpkin pie spice – 1/2 tsp each of ginger, cloves, and nutmeg and 1 full tsp of cinnamon (just because i’m not a huge cinnamon person) and without allspice because i didnt have it – and it turned out amazingly! i also used the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting from the Pumpkin Whoopie Pie recipe instead.. and let me tell you it is fantastic!!! thanks!!
Hi, made these for a work party and they were incredible!! Every recipe I make of yours turns out great. I have several more bookmarked to make for Thanksgiving and I cannot wait. Thanks!
Hi I tried these and they are very good…the only thing is I was expecting a bar not cake! Mine rose higher than the photo and is without a doubt pumpkin cake. I would suggest renaming it because I was looking for a sortof pumpkin brownie type bar. In any event the cake is great! Barbara
Hi Barbara, I’m sorry you got something you weren’t expecting. I did write in the text of the post that this is, indeed, a single-layer pumpkin cake, however, just about all recipes for this type of one-layer pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting refers to them as “pumpkin bars”, which is why I kept the same name, so people familiar with that type of recipe could find what they were looking for. I think the pictures are also pretty indicative of the type of single-layer cake that the recipe results in. However, if you are looking for a pumpkin brownie of sorts, then I would recommend the Pumpkin Pie Bars: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/10/14/pumpkin-pie-bars/. They are exactly what it sounds like you’re looking for.
I’m not sure if you’ll see this comment since the comment post is quite old (2011) but thought I’d chime in here a bit.
The first time I baked a full on recipe besides my Easy Bake Oven LOL was the age of 9?? and it was pumpkin bars.
I’ve since lost the recipe so when I saw this post, I jumped in to read it. As I got through to the end, I remembered that when I made my pumpkin bars, they baked in a 1/2 size sheet pan, not a 9×13 cake pan. So then I thought, I’ll send in a question asking you if this recipe can be baked in a sheet pan vs. cake pan to end up with short rectangle bars vs. cake bars…….then low and behold I find the comment from Barbara !! So after looking at your response with the provided link for pumpkin “bars”……..I realized the ingredients to your cake more closely resemble my lost recipe……I remember the oil, the pumpkin, the eggs, and cream cheese frosting. So long story short, I’d like to use this above “cake” recipe……and try and bake this in a sheet pan and then cut into long narrow bars and serve frosted with your cream cheese frosting. Question is, what would you suggest for a bake time?
Hi Brenda! I would try around 23-25 minutes for baking in a half sheet pan. I hope they turn out as you wish! Let me know how it goes!
Do you think it’ll affect the recipe if I change the oil to applesauce?
Hi Patty, I haven’t tried it that way, but I know that’s a pretty popular substitution. I think it should work. Let me know how it turns out if you do it!
Yum those look delicious. Anything is good with cream cheese frosting on it!
I can’t think of anything better than pumpkin with cream cheese frosting. It’s a perfect combination! Sounds delicious!
Wow 15 minutes, that’s quick! It looks like it took a lot longer and I know, I have to get all my pumpkin recipes done, cause Christmas is on my mind, I can’t wait!!
I’ve always wondered the same thing about similar recipes…definitely a cake, not a bar! Whatever it is, I want to eat it!
Mmm so deliciously moist. The little pumpkin candies make for a very cute garnish. I also enjoy the novel frosting substitution (who says frosting needs to be in-your-face sweet?). Great dessert!
Michelle,
Consider this a ‘carefrontation.’ Maybe it’s time you add a pumpkin category in your recipe archives.
~Amanda
PS: I share your love of pumpkin and plan to make all of your pumpkin recipes.
PPS: I freeze my leftover canned pumpkin and give it to my puppy as a treat. Idea for your dog?
Mmmm looks very moist! Love the cream cheese frosting; then again, cream cheese frosting makes everything taste better, doesn’t it? I made orange cream cheese frosting and zucchini bread but it’s been too cold to eat it and all I crave right now is hot chocolate!
These look great, and the recipe seems fairly simple! Thank you!
These look so good! Great pictures!!
YES please!! These would make a fine breakfast, lunch and dinner!!
These look awesome!
Yum! Send me a slice!
This looks like the most perfect pumpkin cake ever! I wish I had a piece to go with my coffee!
Thanks for this recipe! I just made my own pumpkin puree (no more canned pumpkin!) and am looking for ways to use it up. This will be perfect!
Can I just tell you how beautiful your plate is?! I absolutely love it. Thanks for the great pumpkin recipe!!
Oh thank you! I actually found that randomly at Marshall’s one day browsing. I love it!
Mmmm I can’t believe it’s one of the only pumpkin recipes you’ve posted! Most bloggers have a different pumpkin recipe up every week lately lol! These look so moist and delicious.
I was wondering if you knew how to add photos to the 30days of gratitiude flickr page? I’ve been following along these past few days since you began and blogging about it, but wanted to post them to the group too!
Katie! The Brown Eyed Baker has posted a few pumpkin recipes on her blog and this one in particular!! You must have missed them but check these out!!! Happy looking, baking and eating!! https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/10/03/10-best-pumpkin-recipes/
Haha I was going to link the same thing, thank you Kate!
Dam Pumpkin! I love it! It’s so yummy! I want to make this cake now! It looks so good!!! I’m thinking tonight I will be baking this! I love Pumpkin!!!
Please save me a giant slice!
Mmmm I could just eat that icing with a spoon!
I know right ! but it could be a little fatning :P
I love how quick this recipe is to whip up! Perfect for when you have an urgent need for cake!
I’m not so sure on pumpkin cos it isn’t eaten much in Aus but u make it seem delicious!
Pumpkin isn’t eaten much in Australia?? Where you live/ shop may not stock it but I can hand on heart say that it is eaten by most families! Born, bred, married in Melbourne but now living in the UK! It is one thing that I miss the most about Australia being able to get pumpkin all year round and it having the most amazing taste not this butternut squash stuff I can only get here most of the time :(
I am gunna make these soon, Thanks for the recipe!!!