Easy Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

These easy pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are soft, moist, warmly spiced, and topped with a thick layer of homemade cream cheese frosting. They are made from scratch with pumpkin puree, butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and classic fall spices, so they have that old-fashioned pumpkin dessert flavor without using a cake mix.

I like this pumpkin bars recipe because it feels simple enough for a regular fall baking day, but it is also good enough for Thanksgiving, church meals, potlucks, and family gatherings. The bars bake up tender and cake-like in a 9x13 pan, and the cream cheese frosting makes them feel like a cross between pumpkin bars and pumpkin sheet cake. If you love pumpkin desserts with cream cheese, my Homemade Sourdough Pumpkin Roll is another good fall recipe to make when you want something a little more special.

You can make these pumpkin bars with all-purpose flour or use the fresh milled wheat option with soft white wheat. The fresh milled version gives the bars a slightly heartier, old-fashioned flavor while still keeping them soft and moist. You can use canned pumpkin puree, or you can make your own with my How to Roast a Whole Pumpkin to Make Pumpkin Purée tutorial.

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Quick Look

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 32 to 38 minutes
Cooling Time: About 1 hour
Total Time: About 2 hours
Pan Size: 9x13 baking dish
Texture: Soft, moist, cake-like pumpkin bars
Best For: Fall desserts, Thanksgiving, potlucks, church meals, and family baking

What Are Pumpkin Bars?

Pumpkin bars are soft, cake-like dessert bars made with pumpkin puree, warm spices, and usually a cream cheese frosting on top. They are often baked in a 9x13 pan or a larger jelly roll pan, depending on whether you want them thick and soft or thinner and more like a classic sheet cake.

These pumpkin bars are thicker because I bake them in a 9x13 pan. They are moist and tender, with enough structure to slice into bars after they cool. The cream cheese frosting is simple, creamy, and just sweet enough to balance the pumpkin and spices.

If you like pumpkin sheet cake, pumpkin cake bars, or old-fashioned pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, this recipe fits right in.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Bars Recipe

These pumpkin bars are made from scratch with simple ingredients and no cake mix.

They bake in a 9x13 pan, which makes them easy to serve and carry to a fall gathering.

The texture is soft, moist, and cake-like without being heavy.

The homemade cream cheese frosting is rich, creamy, and easy to spread.

You can use all-purpose flour or fresh milled soft white wheat flour.

Fresh Milled Wheat Option

To make these pumpkin bars with fresh milled flour, use 240 grams fresh milled soft white wheat flour in place of the all-purpose flour.

Soft white wheat is the best choice because these bars are soft, tender, and cake-like. Hard white wheat may work, but it will make the pumpkin bars a little heartier.

If using fresh milled flour, let the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking. This helps the flour absorb the moisture from the pumpkin and keeps the bars soft.

Fresh milled wheat pumpkin bars have a slightly deeper, old-fashioned flavor, but they still work best when the flour is finely milled and the batter is not overmixed.

Equipment You Will Need

9x13 baking dish

Large mixing bowl

Medium mixing bowl

Hand mixer or stand mixer

Whisk

Rubber spatula

Measuring cups and spoons

Parchment paper, optional

Offset spatula or butter knife for frosting

How to Make Pumpkin Bars

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

9x13 Pan or Jelly Roll Pan

For thicker, soft pumpkin bars, use a 9x13 pan. This gives the bars a moist, cake-like texture that feels closer to pumpkin sheet cake.

For thinner, more traditional sheet-pan pumpkin bars, use a 10x15 jelly roll pan and begin checking for doneness around 22 to 25 minutes.

Both versions work, but the baking time will be different. The bars are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back lightly when touched.

Tips for Moist Pumpkin Bars

Do not overmix the batter. Once the dry ingredients are added, mix just until everything is combined.

Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Plain pumpkin puree gives you better control over the sweetness and spices.

Let the bars cool completely before frosting. If the pumpkin bars are warm, the cream cheese frosting will melt and slide instead of staying thick and creamy.

Use softened cream cheese and butter for the frosting. This helps the frosting become smooth instead of lumpy.

For fresh milled flour, let the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking. This gives the flour time to absorb the moisture in the pumpkin batter.

Do not overbake. Pumpkin bars should be moist, so start checking near the lower end of the baking time.

How to Store Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

Because these pumpkin bars have cream cheese frosting, they should be stored in the refrigerator.

Once the frosting has set a little, cover the baking dish or transfer the bars to an airtight container.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

For the best texture, let the bars sit at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Can You Freeze Pumpkin Bars?

Yes, pumpkin bars can be frozen.

For the cleanest result, freeze the pumpkin bars before frosting. Wrap the cooled, unfrosted bars tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then frost before serving.

You can also freeze frosted pumpkin bars, but the cream cheese frosting may soften slightly after thawing. Freeze them in a single layer first, then transfer to a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers.

Make-Ahead Tips

These pumpkin bars are a good make-ahead fall dessert because the texture stays moist after chilling.

You can bake the bars a day ahead, let them cool completely, cover them, and refrigerate them. The next day, make the cream cheese frosting and frost them before serving.

You can also frost them ahead of time and keep them covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to slice and serve.

Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting FAQ