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Desserts » Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Created by Amy Engberson 17 Comments

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A collage with two images of pumpkin squares

These to die for Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting are every bit as amazing as they sound! They’re made in a sheet pan, so you’ll have plenty to share, no judgment from me if you don’t want to! Sharing is optional!

You can’t go wrong with pumpkin spiced cake or any other pumpkin spiced desserts like Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars, or Pumpkin French Toast!

a pumpkin square on a white plate with cream cheese icing, sprinkled with ground nutmeg

This post was originally published in 2014. It was update in 2020 to include new images and content. The recipe is the same.

This is my mom’s pumpkin bar recipe that I loved as much when I was little as I do now!

Justin loves pumpkin rolls. I’m not going to lie I like them too. I know how to make them and everything, but it’s time consuming and a lot of work. They’re kind of finicky, and that’s not the kind of recipe I go back to over and over.

That’s why I opt for easy pumpkin bars over a tricky recipe any day. Plus, he loves this cake too! It’s a win win for everyone!

Trust me, I know it’s going to be a win at your house too!

SEE MORE: Be sure to check out my collection of 20+ Canned Pumpkin Recipes!

ingredient for making pumpkin bars; eggs, sugar, vanilla, dry ingredients, canned pumpkin, cream cheese, butter

Pumpkin Bars Ingredients

I know the list that you’ll need to make this recipe is long. Don’t stress though, for the most part, you probably have all these simple baking ingredients on hand.

If you don’t have pumpkin in your pantry, I’d recommend stocking up on it! It’s a really versatile food storage item.

Here’s a run down of what you’ll need.

  • Pumpkin Puree – Be sure it’s pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. What’s the difference? Pumpkin pie filling already has pumpkin pie spices in it. You could use fresh pumpkin, but I really prefer canned pumpkin. It’s easy and I think it’s even better.
  • Eggs – Use whole eggs
  • Granulated sugar
  • Oil – vegetable oil or canola oil are great choices
  • Flour – all-purpose (I haven’t tried gluten-free flours)
  • Salt
  • Baking Soda
  • Baking Powder
  • Spices (Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger) or you can use pumpkin pie spice instead
  • Cream Cheese – Use full fat. Reduced fat isn’t as sturdy.
  • Butter – I always recommend real salted butter, unsalted is fine too
  • Vanilla or almond extract – either way, is great. Vanilla will change the color of the frosting and make it a little bit darker.
  • Dash of salt – optional

Little Dairy on the Prairie Pro Tip: Pumpkin bars freeze beautifully. Wrap unfrosted bars in plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months. Frost them after you take them out of the freezer.

pumpkin bar on a plate with a bite taken out of it

How to make pumpkin bars

You guys! I feel like I say this on every single recipe I post. It’s true though!

This recipe is so easy to make! It’s literally mixing a few wet ingredients together, adding some dry ingredients, and that’s about all there is to it.

Honestly, the hardest part is frosting because the cake is so soft and tender that it almost peels up when you spread the frosting over it.

Let’s walk through the steps together.

  • a bowl with dry ingredients mixed together
  • a white bowl with beaten eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla
  1. Mix dry ingredients together; flour, soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
  2. Mix wet ingredients; eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla.
  • a bowl with beaten eggs and pumpkin puree
  • a bowl with beaten wet ingredients, and sifted dry ingredients on top

3. Add pumpkin puree to wet ingredients. Mix.

4. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Be careful to not overmix.

  • unbaked pumpkin sheet cake
  • baked pumpkin bars in a sheet cake pan

5. Spread batter in a greased, or parchment lined, baking sheet.

6. Bake cake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

  • cream cheese, powdered sugar, and butter in a glass mixing bowl
  • baked pumpkin bars with dollops of cream cheese frosting on top

7. To make the frosting mix cream cheese and butter till smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until creamy. Add salt to taste. Add a little milk (one tablespoon at a time) if frosting is too thick.

8. Spread frosting on COOLED cake. Cut into squares.

Little Dairy on the Prairie Pro Tip: Store pumpkin cream cheese bars in the fridge for up to four days.

pumpkin bars in a sheet pan, cut into squares, frosted with cream cheese icing

Pumpkin Bar Toppings

If you’re looking for a little bit more healthy pumpkin bar recipe you could always make them with no frosting. Or you could just dust them with powdered sugar.

I have a soft spot in my heart for cream cheese frosting so I’m probably going to stick with it!

I always feel like these pumpkin squares look a little plain without some kind of garnish. You can definitely get creative here.

Since fast and easy is my style I usually just sprinkle a little nutmeg on the frosting.

You could also add those little candy pumpkins, or even pipe a pumpkin on there if you’re really feeling ambitious.

Although I’ve never tried it these bars would be really amazing drizzled with caramel ice cream topping.

Little Dairy on the Prairie Pro Tip: To make bars thicker bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan and increase the baking time to 30-35 minutes.

a pumpkin bar on a white plate, cream cheese frosting and garnished with ground nutmeg

Other Easy Pumpkin Bars Recipes

  • No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies – quick and easy
  • Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes – healthy
  • Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins – ultra moist
  • Pumpkin Magic Bars – gooey and insanely delicious
  • No-Bake Pumpkin Icebox Cake – only a handful of ingredients
  • Easy Pumpkin Lasagna – couldn’t be easier
  • Crescent Squares with Pumpkin – perfect holiday breakfast
  • Pumpkin Blondie Pie – so rich and decadent

Grab my Pumpkin Bars Recipe

Be sure to comment below and leave me a star rating if you try this Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Icing Recipe!

a pumpkin square on a white plate with cream cheese icing, sprinkled with ground nutmeg

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

These to die for Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting are every bit as amazing as they sound! They’re made in a sheet pan, so you’ll have plenty to share, no judgment from me if you don’t want to! Sharing is optional!
3.34 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 24 Bars
Calories: 321kcal
Author: Amy

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Cake

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. ginger
  • 4 whole eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup oil vegetable or canola
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 15 ounces pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 1/4 cup butter room temperature
  • 4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • dash salt
  • milk as needed to thin frosting

Instructions

How to make the pumpkin cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 15x 10 inch sheet pan with nonstick spray.
  • Mix dry ingredients together; flour, soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.
  • Mix wet ingredients; eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla.
  • Add pumpkin puree to wet ingredients. Mix.
  • Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Be careful to not overmix.
  • Spread batter in a prepared baking pan.
  • Bake cake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Completely cool the cake.

How to make the cream cheese frosting

  • Mix room temperature cream cheese and butter till smooth.
  • Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until creamy. Add salt to taste. Add a little milk (one tablespoon at a time) if frosting is too thick.
  • Spread frosting on COOLED cake. Cut into squares.

Notes

Store cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or wrap the unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months. Frost cake after it has thawed.
Spices – You can use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Cake may also be served unfrosted, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or drizzled with caramel ice cream topping. You can also sprinkle cake with a little nutmeg for garnish.
To make a thicker cake bake in a 9 x 13-inch pan. Increase baking time to 30-35 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 2944IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @littledairyontheprairie or tag #littledairyontheprairie!
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about amy

About Amy Engberson

I live on a dairy with my husband and three boys. Although we are in the business of raising cattle, we really are in the business of raising boys. I am passionate about catching up with each other at meal times. My love language is food. And I hope that my men feel the love in every bite. Read more...

Filed Under: Bars/Brownies, Cakes/Cupcakes, Desserts Tagged With: Cake, Cream Cheese Banana Cream Pie, Pumpkin Bars

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  1. Jeanne Towns says

    October 17, 2014 at 7:18 pm

    I made these using King Arthur’s Gluten Free flour (I weighed my flour 140g = 1 cup of flour) and they turned out BEAUTIFULLY! SO delicious!

    Reply
    • Amy Engberson says

      October 29, 2014 at 9:21 pm

      So many people are on a gluten free diet. It’s nice to know they turn out using gluten free flour. Thanks Jeanne!

      Reply
    • Mell says

      November 20, 2017 at 5:32 pm

      Did you still use 2 cups? I have never used the Gluten Free flour but want to give it a try as my nieces are Gluten Free due to Celiac.

      Reply
  2. Maria | Real Life Dinner says

    October 20, 2014 at 9:07 pm

    Oh boy, I Just LOVE pumpkin bars, I am right there with your husband….I eat them in rows. These look awesome!

    Reply
    • Amy Engberson says

      October 29, 2014 at 9:20 pm

      I can thank my husband for eating all of them. It makes less working out for me! Thanks for stopping by Maria!

      Reply
  3. Jennifer says

    October 26, 2014 at 3:56 am

    Can you please tell me what size pan a jelly roll pan is thank you for sharing this recipe looks so yummy

    Reply
    • Amy Engberson says

      October 29, 2014 at 9:45 pm

      Sorry Jennifer! I can see how “jelly roll” pan could be confusing. I used a half sheet size. Mine is 12″ x 17″. Hopefully that helps!

      Reply
  4. Marcie Hallstrom says

    October 18, 2017 at 5:24 pm

    Made your pumpkin cookies last year so when i needed a pumpkin bar recipe, guess whos I picked?! Can’t wait to try these, i’m sure they are just a delicious as the cookies!! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amy Engberson says

      October 18, 2017 at 7:46 pm

      Awe thanks Marcie! No doubt this is the time to squeeze in as much pumpkin as possible! Glad you are enjoying the recipes!

      Reply
  5. Deborah says

    November 22, 2017 at 10:40 am

    Do these have to be refrigerated after making understandably cream cheese frosting is on top so I would think so but if I hold off the frosting right before I serve can I keep the bars at room temperature ? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amy Engberson says

      November 22, 2017 at 9:05 pm

      Hi Deborah! Yes I do store them in the refrigerator once they have frosting on them! Happy baking!

      Reply
  6. Carole says

    November 22, 2017 at 3:17 pm

    No flour!

    Reply
    • Amy Engberson says

      November 22, 2017 at 9:02 pm

      Yes it does have flour! The last ingredient in the list for the cake is 2 cups of flour! Happy baking!

      Reply
  7. Justine says

    November 22, 2017 at 11:45 pm

    Made these last month for co workers and friends, everyone loved them! About to make two more tomorrow for my husbands and my families thanksgiving! Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Amy Engberson says

      November 27, 2017 at 11:25 am

      Yay! Glad they were everything you wanted! We love these pumpkin bars too!

      Reply
  8. Michele says

    January 1, 2018 at 1:16 pm

    Can I use melted butter than Oil?

    Reply
    • Amy Engberson says

      January 3, 2018 at 12:33 pm

      I’ve never tried it in this recipe. Typically when I substitute melted butter for oil I add and additional 20% of butter over the amount of oil called for to make up for the difference in the fat content. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
Hi I’m Amy! Welcome to my stinky farm life where my days are filled with chasing kids and cows! It’s all about simply delicious food around here! If you leave my house hungry…it’s your own fault! Read More..

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