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Classic pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are super soft and moist, the kind of dessert that melts in your mouth and makes you wonder why you ever waited until fall to start baking with pumpkin.
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
If you’ve never made these before, you’re in for a real treat. This recipe for pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting is just about foolproof. It creates a tender and moist crumb every time. Spread a thick layer of tangy cream cheese frosting on top, and each bite becomes pure magic.
Pumpkin bars are one of those recipes that look super fancy, but are secretly quite easy to make. I love a recipe that delivers bakery-style results without making me dirty every dish in the kitchen. These have the wow factor you’re looking for, whether it’s a church potluck or a weeknight meal.
Cream Cheese Icing for Pumpkin Bars
I will rave about this cream cheese icing for pumpkin bars to anyone who will listen. You have got to try it. Rich and tangy and sweet, I could eat it by the spoonful. In fact, I have.
The first dessert I ever tried with this combination of cream cheese and pumpkin had to be a pumpkin cake roll. Seeing (and tasting!) that beautiful spiral of white frosting in between layers of delicious pumpkin started it all.
But, there’s a reason this flavor combo continues to endure. Cream cheese gives depth to the sweetness and keeps it from being overpowering. It melds with the warmth of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Everyone loves it. My recipe for pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting joins a long, long line of desserts that stand on their delicious shoulders.
I like to slice them into tidy little bars in the pan once they’ve been chilled in the fridge. This recipe makes 36 portions, which makes it perfect for feeding a crowd or bringing to a larger event. Just make sure to have the recipe handy. You’re going to get asked to share it.
Pumpkin Desserts
There are plenty more pumpkin desserts where these bars came from! If you’ve never tried these glazed pumpkin cookies, you are missing out. They are soft and fluffy, and the glaze will satisfy any sweet tooth.
I’ve also got recipes for layered pumpkin cheesecake bars, a pumpkin sheet cake with brown butter frosting, and even a pumpkin dump cake on the site. All of them are a positively heavenly.
You could also go with an easy, no-churn pumpkin ice cream topped with a drizzle of caramel sauce. But, be warned, when I tried my first pumpkin dessert recipe, I rapidly found myself wanting to make them all.
No matter which dessert you try, you can pair it with a steaming mug of coffee with a homemade pumpkin spice creamer. Make my PSLs at home, in the comfort of my own pajamas? Yes, please!
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bar Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Pumpkin Bar Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and gently stir until well combined. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely.
Frosting Directions
- Beat the cream cheese and butter on high until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Do not over-beat. Spread on top of completely cooled bars. Cut into bars.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 9/1/15 – recipe notes and photos updated 10/20/25}
This was by far the tastiest pumpkin cake we’ve ever made. The frosting is absolutely delicious and I will be using it for all my recipes asking for cream cheese frosting from now on. Hubby doesn’t usually like fruity cakes and he couldn’t get enough of this!!
Thank you, Cheryl. It is easy to see why this recipe is a pumpkin favorite for people. I am glad the hubby liked it!
Not bars more like cake.
Pumpkin bars are naturally a bit more cake-like. I am sure they were tasty.
I already added 1 tbs of baking soda! Will that affect the pumpkin bars?
Shelley, Flavorwise not likely but they will just be quite fluffy.
I did not rate as I have not made them yet.
I can tell from the comments these are very good, but I want to know if these could be made with gluten free flour, if so is there an adjustment or addition.
Linda – I have not made this with GF flour but I would suggest starting with your favorite 1:1 Gluten Free Flour and adjust from there if needed.
Thank you. I will try it and get back to you
I’m making them with gluten free flour! I’ll tell ya how they are when they get done if you haven’t made them i know It’s been a year, but figured I’d comment and tell ya!!
This is a recipe I definitely will be trying very soon.
I am wondering if I could make this using a cookie sheet pan instead of a cake pan to have the bars less tall, so more like a bar size. Plus it will go further to more of my neighbors. Thanks
Gail – They will be quite thin and you might need to adjust the baking time.
I love this recipe, and I am making it for the second time right now! My family was obsessed with the bars during Thanksgiving. The only reason why I didn’t give the recipe 5 stars is that both times now I have had to bake the bars twice as long at a higher heat to get them fully baked. It might just be my oven, but other things I regularly make have not suffered this way, so I am inclined to think that the recipe does not give an accurate bake time. Fortunately, the added time does not affect the quality of the bars at all, they still come out delicious, I would just caution to make absolutely sure the bars are baked through before turning off the oven and be willing to keep it in there for longer.
I’m glad you were able to figure it out and that you like them. I’ll retest the recipe for the baking time soon!
Could I add chocolate chips to this? If so how much should I use?
I’ve never tried adding chocolate chips.
This is THE BEST recipe ever! My family and coworkers raved about this! So yummy!!
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the bars, Katelyn!
Making this cake for the first time and it took around 15 minutes until the center didn’t giggle. Could this be the right cooking time?
The cooking time should be about 30 minutes, Kay. Do you mean it took an additional 15 minutes? Did you change the pan size or otherwise alter the recipe? Definitely cook until the toothpick tests done.
Same here after 30 minutes wasn’t cooked at all, left it another 15 minutes and it was ok…it was fabulous.
I needed to bake them for an additional 15 minutes as well. Wasn’t even close at 30 minutes. Amazingly delicious though!
I’m so glad you liked them, Pauline! I’m glad you figured out the baking time.
Can you use olive oil instead?
That should work fine, Ali. Just be sure to use light flavored olive oil, not an extra virgin oil.