These are the best pumpkin bars I’ve ever had. They have incredible spiced pumpkin flavor and aren’t quite as light and cakey as most other recipes I’ve tried. Instead, they’re soft and sturdy which pairs perfectly with the spiced cream cheese frosting on top!
I’m following up the best pumpkin cake I’ve ever had with the best pumpkin bars I’ve ever had. My pumpkin bars and pumpkin cake have their differences, which I discuss below, and I’m so proud to share both of these recipes on my blog with you. If you enjoy my pumpkin cake, you will FLIP for these pumpkin bars too.
These are the Best Pumpkin Bars I’ve Ever Had
And here’s why:
- Big pumpkin flavor
- Generously spiced with pumpkin pie spices
- Sweetened with brown sugar
- Soft, yet sturdy (just like my soft pumpkin cookies)
- Super moist
- Cakey, but not as cakey as others—no fork required!
- Finished with spiced cream cheese frosting
- …and sprinkles!
Video Tutorial
Are Pumpkin Bars and Pumpkin Cake The Same?
Let’s clear this up right away! Some pumpkin bar recipes basically produce pumpkin cake. Sure, the bars are totally delicious, but they’re more like a thin and fragile piece of cake than an easy bar dessert. I set out to create something slightly different, but still maintain a favorably soft and moist texture.
I actually started with my pumpkin cake recipe because, again, it’s my favorite. Here we’ll reduce the baking powder so the bars have a little less lift. We’ll also remove 1 egg because less egg = less cakey. And, finally, reduce the granulated sugar and add a touch of maple syrup. The pure liquid sweetener adds flavor, moisture, and really gives these particular bars that little something extra. (These definitely stand out from other recipes.)
So, yes, pumpkin bars and pumpkin cake can taste the same. Follow my recipe for a little variation. By the way, if you’re craving pumpkin pie as a bar, here are my pumpkin pie bars. Or for breakfast try these simple pumpkin muffins. And if you need to feed a crowd, don’t miss my pumpkin Bundt cake. 🙂
How to Make Pumpkin Bars
- Mix dry ingredients together. You need flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. You can use homemade pumpkin pie spice here!
- Whisk wet ingredients together. You need vegetable oil or melted coconut oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pure maple syrup, 1 can pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. By the way, I love when recipes use the entire can of pumpkin. So convenient!
- Combine all the ingredients and spread into a 10×15-inch baking pan. The size of the pan is key to the texture. Anything smaller creates thick pumpkin bars, which taste almost identical to pumpkin cake. A pan larger than 10×15 inch will give you thin and flimsy bars.
- Bake for around 30 minutes. Baking times can vary, so keep an eye on yours. The bars are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool, then frost.
Good news is that you’ll get a lot of use out of this particular size pan. (I recently purchased this one and love it.) Use it again for pumpkin roll, champagne cake roll, and apple slab pie.
Baker’s Tip: A few lumps in the batter is OK.
Topping for Pumpkin Bars
You can keep these pumpkin bars totally plain or even dust with a little confectioners’ sugar. They’re still fabulous without a special garnish on top! But, alas, I never pass up an opportunity for cream cheese frosting. To give them a little extra flair, add pumpkin pie spice to the frosting. You’ll be surprised how a *little* spice can totally transform frosting, as evidenced with the frosting on these banana cupcakes and gingerbread cookie bars.
Tangy, creamy, spiced, and sweet, this cream cheese frosting is the perfect partner for our pumpkin bars. I cut back on the butter in the frosting to (1) produce less and (2) create a thicker, sturdier frosting. Perfect for these portable bars.
Let’s Garnish!
To finish them off, garnish with festive sprinkles or even pumpkin icing decorations. Aren’t they fun and festive for Halloween? I used “Ah Maize-ing Twinkle Sprinkle Medley” from Sweetapolita. I’m unable to find a link to the exact pumpkins you see in the photos, but these pumpkin decorations are also adorable. Here are our decorated Halloween cookies and Halloween cupcakes if you need additional seasonal dessert ideas!
Pumpkin bars are a total classic and I hope you turn to this recipe the next time you crave a batch. If you need more inspiration, here are my 30+ favorite pumpkin dessert recipes. How many votes for year-long pumpkin season?
PrintThe Best Pumpkin Bars I’ve Ever Had
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: about 24 bars
- Category: Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These are the best pumpkin bars I’ve ever had. They have incredible spiced pumpkin flavor and aren’t quite as light and cakey as most other recipes I’ve tried. Instead, they’re soft and sturdy which pairs perfectly with the spiced cream cheese frosting on top!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil*
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- optional: sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 10×15-inch baking pan. Or line the pan with parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars (as a whole) out.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. Batter will be thick.
- Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 28-35 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The bars are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top or edges of the bars browning too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil.
- Remove the bars from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack. Cool bars completely. (After about 45 minutes of cooling, you can place the bars in the refrigerator to speed things up!)
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add an extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar. Spread the frosting on the cooled bars. To help “set” the frosting, refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This makes cutting easier and less messy.
- Enjoy with or without a fork, but definitely grab a napkin!
- Cover leftover bars tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you skipped the frosting, cover and store plain pumpkin bars at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare recipe through step 4. Cover cooled bars tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. You can cut the bars and freeze in a large freezer container, too. Bring to room temperature, make the frosting, frost, and serve. Frosted bars also freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or serve cold.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 10×15-inch Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Icing Spatula
- Lining Pan: You can line the baking pan with parchment paper to easily lift out the bars as a whole. Or you can simply grease the pan. Once completely cool, you can (very carefully!!) slide a couple thin spatulas under the bars and lift out to put on a cutting board to slice. Or just slice them in the pan.
- Spices: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 3/4 teaspoon each: ground ginger and ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon each: ground cloves and ground allspice. Do not leave out the 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon that is also called for in this recipe. In the frosting, use a tiny pinch of each, plus a tiny pinch of cinnamon too.
- Oil: Instead of 1 cup of oil, try 1/2 cup (90g) unsweetened applesauce and 1/2 (120ml) cup oil. The bars are just as moist. Vegetable oil is best, but melted coconut oil works too.
- Pumpkin: I strongly recommend using canned pumpkin puree over homemade in this recipe, though 2 cups of homemade would be fine in a pinch. I found the flavor better with canned. I prefer Libby’s brand.
Keywords: pumpkin bars
Hi what can i use I instead of maple syrup
Hi Kimberly, you can leave the maple syrup out, or even replace with an extra 2 TBS of sugar.
Started making these a few months ago. And with some small tweaks its just FANTASTIC!!! Thank you SO much for sharing this recipe. Ive made them over a dozen times already:) YUM!
★★★★★
I made these today and everyone absolutely loved them ! This will be my go to recipe! Thank you!
★★★★★
This is our second time making these and we all love them! We used a combo of fresh squash and fresh pumpkin and our own maple syrup. We cut way back on the powdered sugar and sprinkle the cream cheese frosting with toasted chopped walnuts. My husband eagerly did the dishes he loves them so much!!!
★★★★★
I simply love this recipe. The texture of the batter is amazing. Instead of sprinkles I add some homemade chopped candied pumpkin seeds on top. Yummy
★★★★★
I have made this weekly for the last 6 weeks! Simply delicious!
★★★★★
These are truly one of the most delicious recipes I have ever made. I used fresh pumpkin (that I roasted and then weighed the meat on a kitchen scale) and I also doubled the spices in the batter and added a pinch (a very tiny pinch – be careful) of ground cayenne pepper and a little bit of ground black pepper. For the frosting, I used Kerry Gold butter!
I would call this a cake but it was SO good and I would totally make it again. Thanks!
★★★★★
The cake was good but it would have been much better without the frosting. Unfortunately it was way too sweet and felt really heavy on my stomach after having just one piece:-(
★★★
Absolutely amazing fall treat full of flavour.
I did however forget the cup of oil and they turned out perfect so didn’t miss the oil at all, which makes it that much better for you!
These are amazing! Made them just like the recipe says and they came out perfect!
★★★★★
This is delicious, I made it for my neighborhood trick or treaters; like carrot cake with the fall pumpkin spice
Just made this yesterday and it is oh so good! I made it in a 9×13 pan because I was wanting more of a cake-like recipe rather than bars, and it came out great! The frosting is delicious! Perfect dessert for Halloween tonight!
★★★★★
I normally love recipes I find here, but I was a little disappointed this time! The flavour of these bars is delicious – the quintessential fall flavour we’re all after – but the texture was just cake. Nothing like a true bar; soft and fluffy and cake-ish!
★★★
Can you use avocado or olive oil in this recipe?
could you bake these in a 9×13 inch pan?
Hi Eb, You can make these in a 9×13 inch pan, but they will be thicker and, as a result, taste cakier.
These bars are easy to make, full of flavor and the frosting takes them over the top. These are comparable to an award winning bakery. Kudos yet again.
★★★★★
I haven’t tried this yet. Do you think I can add raisins? Thank you!
Hi Elaine, raisins would be delicious! I recommend anywhere between 3/4 – 1.5 cups.
Tasty cake recipe, but not bars!
★★★
I agree, great flavor but definitely not bars
★★★
Do you think the bars would freeze? Without the frosting I assume. I want to make them When I have time today for a party on Sunday. I can make and refrigerate the frosting separately.
Hi Jennifer, definitely! See the recipe notes for make ahead and freezing instructions. Happy baking!
So yummy! Made today exactly as written EXCEPT I decided to use a 9×13 pan instead of trying to figure out amounts of batter to split into different odd sized pans because I don’t have the pan that’s called for. 9×13 of course made a thicker “bar”, it was more like dense cake but I knew that going in. Everyone loved it, keeper recipe 🙂 There was exactly enough room in the pan to spread the frosting and have it still be below the rim so I could cover without making a mess of the frosting – that is a bonus! Thank you for the recipe 🙂 I used avocado oil and it worked great.
★★★★★
I followed the recipe exactly and they are like too pumpkin cake like. Great flavor though.
★★★
I have an early October birthday, and I am typically super ready for a nice pumpkin-y dessert to celebrate. This year was no exception. I searched for the exact recipe to satisfy my craving and landed on these bars. They did not disappoint. My husband declared them the best pumpkin spice dessert I’ve ever made – and I’ve made a LOT. I did substitute 1/2 cup apple sauce for 1/2 cup of the oil. Otherwise, I stuck to the recipe (used dark brown sugar v. light). The one change I would make is the title – everyone agreed they were much less of a bar and more of a cake – so I would call it a sheet cake. SO fluffy and moist and utterly delicious! Sally, you are a blogger/recipe developer I have learned I can trust to create no-fail recipes. Thank you for putting great content out there for us fellow bakers to enjoy!
★★★★★
WOW! These were so tasty. I always struggle with baking, but these came out perfect. I didn’t change anything about the recipe except that I added 1 cup of mini chocolate chips. The frosting might be my new favorite! Best part about this recipe is that it is so easy. These pumpkin bars will definitely be made every fall from now on.
★★★★★
Hi Sally! I know you have your pumpkin cake recipe but do you think this recipe would work well as cake layers if I wanted layers that are a bit less “cakey”? Thank you!
Hi Veronica, You can make this recipe twice and stack them for a layer cake/bars. Enjoy!
This was AMAZING! I made it just as described, and might go with less frosting but the taste was dynamite! Such a great dessert after a pork loin with apples and scalloped potatoes dinner! Sally, you ROCK!
★★★★★
Hi Sally,
As usual, I have a butter question. What will happen to the texture if I use melted butter instead of the oil options you listed?
Thank you for sharing your expertise and amazing recipes.
Hi Shannon, the same amount of melted butter would work but the bars may not taste as moist.
Can I make these in the mini cupcake tin?
★★★★★
Hi Shirley, For cupcakes you can use the recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes and see the recipe notes for directions for mini cupcakes.
I am debating on whether to make the Easy Pumpkin Bars or The Best Pumpkin Bars I’ve Ever Had. I noticed that the latter recipe has Pure Maple Syrup, which I don’t have, but it looks like a recipe I’d love to try. Which of these recipes is your favorite? Is the maple syrup pretty important or is there something that could be substituted without changing it too much? Thank you so much.
Hi Diane, Both recipes are great! The Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars are more like a pumpkin pie, with the soft pie filling. These are more like a cake bar. If you would like to try these you can leave the maple syrup out, or even replace with an extra 2 TBS of sugar.
I baked this recipe last week and it’s delicious. Very moist and flavorful. My question is, would Pecans be ok to add to the cake? Thank you.
★★★★★
Hi Lynn, You can add chopped pecans! We recommend anywhere between 3/4 – 1.5 cups total add-ins.