Nothing screams fall like pumpkin and these delicious pumpkin bars are the perfect kick off into the season of pumpkin everything.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Total Time35 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pumpkin Bars Recipe
Servings: 25
Calories: 295kcal
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars
2cupsall-purpose flour
2½teaspoonspumpkin pie spice
1½teaspoonsbaking powder
1teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonground ginger
½teaspoonsalt
1cupvegetable oil
1½cupsgranulated sugar
15ouncecan pumpkin puree
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
3eggs
Cream Cheese Frosting
8ouncescream cheese,softened
½cupbutter,(8 tablespoons), softened
2teaspoonsclear vanilla flavoring
3cupspowdered sugar
2tablespoonsmilk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set it aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and salt. Set it aside.
Using either a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, canned pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
With the mixer speed on low, add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each egg.
Keeping the mixer speed on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Blend just until all the ingredients are well combined.
Evenly pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the pumpkin bars to cool completely.
Using a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and clear vanilla flavoring for about 1-1½ minutes.
Lower the mixer speed to low, slowly alternate the powdered sugar and milk. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until the frosting is smooth.
Using a silicone spatula, evenly spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled pumpkin bars, and slice either 5 slices x 5 slices or 5 slices x 6 slices.
Notes
Watch out when you are at the grocery store that you buy pure pumpkin purée and not canned pumpkin pie filling.
You can overlap the parchment paper on the ends to aid in removing the bars from the baking pan.
Make sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature so that they blend fully.