Description
Pumpkin bars are soft, moist fall treats blending nostalgic southern roots with modern twists. Easy to customize, they’re perfect for everyday snacking or holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup avocado or canola oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free)
—For the frosting—
1/2 cup softened cream cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla bean
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Dash of salt
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease or line a 9×13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, sugars, vanilla, and eggs.
3. Add puréed pumpkin and stir until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, spices, salt, and baking soda. Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into wet.
5. Pour batter into your baking pan and smooth out the top.
6. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cool in the pan while you prepare the frosting.
8. To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
9. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whip until light and fluffy.
10. Once bars are cool, slather on frosting and cut into squares.
Notes
Let bars cool completely before frosting to avoid melting.
Add-ins: walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, cardamom, or maple glaze.
Make it healthy: Use almond or oat flour, monk fruit sweetener, flax eggs, or black beans.
Storage: Store unfrosted at room temp (4 days), frosted in fridge (6 days), or freeze unfrosted bars (3 months).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: pumpkin bars, fall dessert, cream cheese frosting, easy pumpkin recipe