Pumpkin Bars with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Pan of pumpkin bars topped with cream cheese frosting

Pumpkin Bars with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

These pumpkin bars are a fall favorite. Moist and tender - these bars are generously spiced and topped with cream cheese frosting with a hint of cinnamon. The recipe makes a large batch, so it's perfect for entertaining.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Pumpkin Bars

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings bars

Calories 320kcal

Author Fiona Dowling

Equipment

10x15 inch (25x38 cm) jelly roll pan

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bars

2 cup all-purpose flour (250 grams)
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml) or canola oil
1 cups brown sugar (210 grams)
½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
1 teaspoons orange zest sometimes I use up to 2 teaspoons
3 large eggs whisked
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
15 ounce pumpkin puree (about 450 ml)

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup unsalted butter (112 grams) softened slightly
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese (226 grams) be sure to use brick style and not something from a tub
3 - 3 ½ cups powdered sugar (330 - 385 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Pumpkin Bars

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease a 10x15 inch (24x38 cm) jelly roll pan, or line with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest and pumpkin puree until there are no lumps of brown sugar or pieces of egg.
Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The mixture will be thick. Be sure to stop whisking once you no longer see streaks or lumps of dry ingredients.
Pour/spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the top looks set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
Then mix in the cream cheese. Stop mixing as soon as combined.
Add in 2 ½ cups powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Start with the mixer on a low speed and beat until the powdered sugar is incorporated.
Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time, until the desired sweetness is reached.

Frosting & Serving

Ensure that the bars are completely cooled (the bars and the pan shouldn't feel warm to the touch).
If you lined the pan with parchment, lift the bars out of the pan using the overhang of the parchment. If you simply greased the pan, leave the bars in the pan.
Frost with a flat edge knife. Optionally, sift a little more cinnamon on top of the bars.

Notes

Spices: Feel free to substitute all of the spices listed with 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use pure pumpkin and not canned pumpkin pie filling. These ingredients are not interchangeable.
Cream Cheese: Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Do not use anything labeled spreadable, low fat, low calorie or whipped.
Storage: Store bars covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 8 hours, or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Unfrosted bars can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge.
Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 bar with frosting, assuming the recipe yields 24 uniform bars.

Nutrition