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, just like I do for pumpkin oatmeal cream pies. 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+ best pumpkin dessert recipes. How many votes for year-long pumpkin season?
The 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
They taste great, but it is cake not bars and I followed the recipe to the “t” . This is the first recipe of Sally’s (and I have made many) that is not exactly as billed. These are a moist light cake. Good but not what I was looking for. It’s strange because the recipe has a lot of commentary on pan size and how that exact 10×15 size will make sure they are not cake-like or thin. Also I agree with someone who said they could be more flavorful. Disappointed.
Cake texture was lovely, but Very disappointed in the pumpkin and spice flavoring. I increased the pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon and still felt like it lacked overall flavor.
These were fabulous.!Great recipe!
Excellent! This will definitely be my
Go to pumpkin bars for fall!!
These are definitely more of a cake than a bar. I did substitute half applesauce for the oil, and baked in 2 8×8 pans. I found the frosting to be too soft for a bar as well, and I had add more icing sugar. I also had enough frosting leftover to do another pan. HOWEVER, these were absolutely delicious!! Quite happy to cut into cakes size pieces and eat with a fork, it’s so good! Thanks ,Sally, your website is the best on the internet for baking.
I’ve had so much success with Sally’s recipes, but sadly I feel like these are still very much like pumpkin cake and not bars, won’t make again.
Yep, these are the best pumpkin bars I’ve ever had! I just made them for Christmas 2021. 🙂
I swapped out the syrup for molasses and added ginger. The kids asked, “Aunt J, are these gingerbread or pumpkin bars?.” I said, “yep.” Call ’em whatever you like, they’re sure yummy,
Made these and loved them! Followed both recipes to a T; curious if anyone has calculated calories on this?
About 290 calories in an 80-gram bar.
Hi!
Can I add fresh or frozen cranberries for a taste/ texture variation or will the texture be affected by the additional moisture?
Hi Jennifer! Absolutely, we recommend dried cranberries – anywhere between 3/4 – 1.5 cups would work!
Can these bars be baked in small loaf pans to give as gifts?
Hi Karen, they won’t rise like a normal loaf would, but that should be fine. Or you might enjoy using our pumpkin bread recipe for the mini loaves instead!
These were perfect for a Thanksgiving gathering with several guests who don’t like pie. EVERYONE raved about them! I didn’t have the recommended size pan, but a 1.5x batch baked up perfectly in a half sheet pan (18×13).
Thanks for another great recipe!
I only wanted a pumpkin bar that I could make without having to dirty up the mixer, but this is now my pumpkin bar recipe. My guys both have severe GERD and have a hard time with spices, so I made it a little milder for them. I didn’t use canned pumpkin because I had a New York Cheese pumpkin on hand, and I do find those to be flavorful. Home-pureed seems to be wetter than canned, so I threw in a handful of dried currants. Raisins , dried date bits or dried cranberries soak up the water and would be yummy too.
Can I bake it in anything other than a 10”x15” baking pan to get a similar result?
hi! i’ve been trying to find a good persimmon cake recipe that’s a bit cakey just like this one, so i was wondering if i can substitute the pumpkin purée for the same amount of persimmon pulp? would that work and would the texture be different?
thank you!
Hi Nishi! We’ve never tested that, but please let us know if you do 🙂
I made these for a Halloween party and they were amazing! I’m making them again for Thanksgiving. Can I refrigerate just the batter for a couple of days and then bake them off fresh?
Hi Brittany, so glad you love these bars! We don’t recommend making the batter ahead of time – the raising agents will activate too soon and the bars won’t rise properly when baked.
I’m hoping it’s a 5 star. I’ve made 2 batches of pumpkin bars today. The first one was a thin cake. I thought maybe I could fix it using two instead of three eggs. It didn’t even bake correctly. I went looking for a real BAR and found your comments about the difference. I have to take 24 bars, nice sized, to a breakfast Wednesday morning, so I plan on making two batches. Since it’s
a breakfast, I plan on dusting them with powdered sugar, then piping a large closed star flower in the center of each one. I’m counting on your recipe tomorrow!
I used homemade mashed pumpkin as I had it on hand. I think they taste great, but I will try canned next time to compare. I will also try 1/2 applesauce 1/2 oil, to cut calories. Will be storing them in the refrigerator for our Thanksgiving dessert!
Hi sally. Re: pumpkin bars, I have a 19x15x 1” pan. Is it deep enough?
Hi Lucie, it’s deep enough but that size pan is a little too large. The bars will be very thin and flimsy. I recommend 10×15 inch.
Can these be baked in a 9 by 13 pan?
Hi Bonnie, You can make these in a 9×13 inch pan, but they will be thicker and, as a result, taste cakier.
Hi sally. Re: pumpkin bars, I have a 19x15x 1” pan. Is it deep enough?
I have been baking for years and tried many pumpkins bar recipes but this beats all of them hands down
I was expecting them to be more of a cookie bar but mine came out 100% cake…
Can I use melted butter, instead of the vegtable oil? OR Can I use All Vegetable Shortening Sticks butter flavored? Thanks
Hi Beth, the same amount of melted butter would work but the bars may not taste as moist. We don’t recommend the vegetable shortening. Hope you enjoy these bars!
Can you make muffins instead? What’s the adjustment for baking time?
Hi Linda, We recommend following the recipe for our pumpkin muffins (you can leave off the crumb topping if desired)
These were very good. As my son has a gluten intolerance I was going to use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour. I made the bars and realized that I had actually used almond flour! Anyway, they turned out great! I did store them in the fridge as they were a bit softer perhaps. We all enjoyed them, and perhaps others will enjoy the gluten free version as well.
Look into ordering European flour and read reviews, like on Amazon. Incredible amount of testimonials from people with gluten issues, and why they can eat anything in Europe or anything made with European flour. The way we mass produce our wheat in the States…is largely what causes the issues. They don’t have gluten issues across the pond. Unless they visit here.
Excellent flavor and texture. Beautifully moist but you can hold a square in your hand to eat! I love cream cheese frosting and I’m sure it makes these even better but these are delicious w/out as well if you are short on time or want to save some calories.
If anyone else is curious, I halved the recipe and baked in an 8×8 silicone @ same time and temp and it came out so well. Will make again!
Wowsers! Made these again last night (with frosting this time) to rave reviews and recipe requests from my girlfriends. This batter comes together so easily and works perfectly split in two 8×8’s with 28 mins bake time for me. Did the half oil/half applesauce and still wonderful and moist. Thank you for sharing.
I made this recipe using 1/2 oil and 1/2 homemade applesauce. I used “hot honey” bourbon barrel aged maple syrup (it was all I had) and the recipe came out so delicious!
Hello,
I am preparing to make this recipe today. Getting my ingredients together and I only have a “hot honey” bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. What are your thoughts about risking using vs regular maple syrup?
I also have agave and also monkfruit that I don’t know much about using as a baking ingredient substitute.
Thanks for your wonderful recipes! Can’t go wrong when followed!
Hi Nora, you can certainly try using your bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. We’re unsure of how much it will impact the taste, but let us know if you do decide to give it a try. We’re not trained in baking with sugar substitutes, so it might be best to find a recipe that specifically calls for agave and monkfruit to use those ingredients in. Here are our recipes with agave if you’re interested!
Okay, going to try and see what happens. I’ll keep you posted. Fingers crossed
These pumpkin bars are the best I have ever eaten! I made two batches and took one to a sweet friend who had just lost her mother! She loved the as well!
Made these with 1:1 Gluten Free flour mix, added 1 extra egg and they are amazing!!
You are 100% correct. Best pumpkin bars ever.