Pumpkin Bars

4.67 from 3 votes

These bars are baked in a rimmed cookie sheet pan so these are perfect for a crowd! The bars are moist and full of warm spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg, all these pumpkin bars need is a cream cheese frosting on top.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: bars

Calories: 493kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Equipment

Ingredients

For the bars

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated white sugar
2/3 cup (160mL) vegetable oil
15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream

For the cream cheese frosting

16 ounces full fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar (confectioners,icing)
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch salt

Instructions

For the bars

Preheat and prepare pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10x15 rimmed baking sheet (jelly roll pan) or line with parchment paper.
Combine dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
Combine wet ingredients. In a second mixing bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, oil, sour cream and pumpkin with until thoroughly combined.
Add dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until thoroughly combined.
Bake the bars. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool pan on a wire cooling rack completely and cut into squares.

For the frosting

Cream the butter until smooth. Add in the cream cheese.
Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.
Mix in the vanilla extract. Add in a pinch of salt.
When bars have cooled, frost with the cream cheese frosting

Notes

Storage: You can make these bars a day ahead of time, store at room temperature in an airtight container then frost before serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge covered for up to 4 days.
Freeze: I recommend freezing bars unfrosted, then thaw overnight in the fridge and frost before serving. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Pumpkin: Use pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling.
Pan Size: You can bake in a 9x13 pan but they will be a bit thicker and may need a few more minutes of baking time.

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