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Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese frosting

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 bars

Equipment

  • 9x13 baking pan This recipe is tailored for a 9x13 pan, perfect for slicing into neat squares or bars for a party. You can use glass or metal, though metal may produce slightly crispier edges.
  • Mixing bowls At least two – one for the wet ingredients and one for the dry.
  • Hand mixer or stand mixer Makes whipping the frosting and blending the batter easier, but a whisk and some elbow grease will work in a pinch.
  • Rubber spatula For scraping down the bowl and spreading the frosting evenly.
  • Wire Rack To cool the bars completely before frosting.
  • Offset spatula (optional) Helps to spread the cream cheese frosting smoothly across the top.

Ingredients
  

For the Pumpkin Bars

  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup neutral oil vegetable or canola
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves optional for a stronger spice kick
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions
 

Preheat and Prepare

  1. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease your 9x13 pan with butter or nonstick spray. For easier removal, you can line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides.

Mix the Wet Ingredients

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil until smooth. Crack in the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Sift and Combine the Dry Ingredients

  1. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Sifting helps keep the texture light and prevents clumping.

Combine Wet and Dry

  1. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in batches, stirring gently until just combined. Don’t overmix—stop as soon as the flour disappears into the batter.

Bake

  1. Pour the batter into the prepared 9x13 pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.

Make the Frosting

  1. While the bars are cooling, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until creamy and smooth. Add the sifted powdered sugar gradually, beating on low at first to avoid a sugar cloud. Finish by mixing in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. The frosting should be thick but spreadable.

Frost and Serve

  1. Once the bars are completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Use an offset spatula for a bakery-style finish. Slice into squares or bars and serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.