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These ultra-moist pumpkin bars are loaded with fall spices and topped with a wealthy cream cheese frosting you’ll need to eat out of the bowl. They’re fast and straightforward to make – no mixer wanted for the cake – and a traditional hit for fall. Time to make your new favourite pumpkin deal with!

Filled with cozy flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, these pumpkin bars are a dream come true for any pumpkin spice lover (though, you’ve bought to strive my Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake, too!). To make them even higher, they’re topped with a beneficiant layer of tangy, creamy, and completely candy (however not too candy) cream cheese frosting that takes all these flavors you like to the subsequent degree.
And the feel!? Outrageous! They’re not as ethereal as cake, however not as dense as cookies or brownies. They’re someplace in between…delicate, moist, and satisfying with out feeling too heavy. And also you don’t even want a mixer to make them! Really easy! Perhaps you want a break (however just a bit one) from Basic Pumpkin Pie or perhaps you’re simply attempting to assemble as many pumpkin-centric recipes as potential. Both means, these bars are the best way to go. They carry all the perfect fall vibes, chew after chew.
These Pumpkin Bars Nail That Excellent Fall Taste
Able to shake up your pumpkin dessert recreation? Right here’s why these pumpkin bars are a fantastic place to begin:
- Extremely moist. Someplace between a cake and a brownie, these bars have the BEST texture. They’re tremendous moist and dense sufficient to be satisfying, however not too dense. They’re a dream to sink your tooth into.
- An explosion of pumpkin spice taste. Should you’re a pumpkin spice fanatic like me, these pumpkin bars gained’t disappoint. They’re loaded with sugar, spice, and every thing good, particularly cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves…every thing you’d count on in your favourite pumpkin pie, however this time, it’s in bar kind! With frosting!
- The BEST frosting. These bars have loads to supply by way of taste and texture, however what takes them over the sting is the decadent layer of cream cheese frosting on high. It’s thick, easy, creamy, tangy, and the right quantity of candy. I can’t get sufficient.
What You’ll Want
Head to the baking aisle and cargo up your cart! Right here’s what you’ll have to make these fall-tastic pumpkin bars (you’ll discover exact measurements within the recipe card under):
For the Pumpkin Bars
- All-purpose flour – Gluten-free? Be at liberty to make use of your favourite 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Baking soda – Just a bit to offer the bars the right rise and texture.
- Salt – Salt amplifies the flavors already current and makes every thing even higher.
- Spices – Floor cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Unsalted butter – You should use salted butter in a pinch, however you’ll need to depart the salt out of the dry substances.
- Sugars – I like to make use of a mixture of sunshine brown sugar and granulated sugar. Though you may use all gentle brown sugar (or perhaps a smidge of darkish brown sugar) for a deeper, extra molasses-y taste. Make sure that to pack the sunshine brown sugar into the measuring cup so that you get the correct quantity!
- Pumpkin puree – Make sure that it’s pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling! Pumpkin pie filling incorporates added sugar and spices, and also you don’t want that right here.
- Massive eggs – It’s greatest in the event that they’re at room temperature. They’ll combine extra simply into the batter that means.
- Vanilla extract – Only a smidge! So as to add some candy heat and depth.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese – Begin with room temperature cream cheese. If it’s too chilly, your frosting will end up lumpy.
- Unsalted butter – The butter must also be at room temperature to make sure your frosting seems easy. Conversely, butter that’s too delicate will yield runny frosting.
- Powdered sugar – For quantity and construction.
- Vanilla extract – For a bit further depth and taste.
- Floor cinnamon – You may sprinkle cinnamon over the frosted bars, however you don’t must.
The right way to Make Excellent Pumpkin Bars
Time to get baking! Right here’s a fast have a look at how you can make this superb dessert. You’ll want to scroll to the recipe card under for extra detailed directions.
- Prep. Spray a 15×10-inch rimmed jelly roll pan with non-stick and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix the dry substances. Whisk collectively the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Mix the moist substances. Whisk collectively the butter, brown sugar, sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla.
- Put all of it collectively. Combine the dry substances into the moist substances.
- Bake. Unfold the batter into the baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Cool. Take away from the oven and funky fully.
- Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter till easy. Combine in half of the powdered sugar, adopted by the vanilla, after which the remaining powdered sugar.
- Assemble. Unfold the frosting over the absolutely cooled bars and sprinkle with a bit cinnamon, if desired.
Ideas for Success
Get these pumpkin bars excellent by following these easy suggestions and methods:
- Measurement success. You’ll want to measure your flour precisely, both with a meals scale or the spoon and degree technique, to make sure your bars aren’t dry.
- Don’t over combine. When combining the moist and dry substances, combine simply till every thing is included. Mixing greater than that may trigger the glutens within the flour to overdevelop, leading to a troublesome, overly dense cake.
- Control it. These bars bake up fairly quick. Seeing as oven temperatures may be off, I like to recommend checking in your bars a bit earlier than the cook dinner time is up, after which each couple of minutes afterward. You’ll know they’re executed when a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out nearly clear with a few crumbles.
- Room temperature dairy. The cream cheese and the butter within the frosting have to be at room temperature. If they’re too chilly, the frosting will end up lumpy. On the other facet of issues, if the butter is simply too delicate, the frosting will end up runny.
- Enable the bars to chill. Enable the bars to chill to room temperature earlier than you frost them. In any other case, the frosting will soften and slide off.
Variation Concepts
Wish to combine issues up a bit? This recipe is fairly simple to customise. Listed below are some concepts for you:
- Combine-ins (or toppings). Think about folding a few handfuls of chocolate (or white chocolate) chips into the batter. Chopped walnuts or candied pecans would even be nice. Should you don’t need to combine them into the batter, you’ll be able to scatter them on high of the frosting.
- Strive a distinct frosting. I went with a barely much less candy model of my Basic Cream Cheese Frosting right here. If you would like one thing a bit lighter, strive my Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting. In a chocolate temper? Think about the chocolate cream cheese frosting from this Crimson Velvet Cupcakes recipe.
- Think about a swirl. Whether or not it’s the cinnamon swirl from my Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Pumpkin Layer Cake or a cream cheese swirl just like the one in my Cheesecake Swirl Pumpkin Bread, a swirl of taste is an effective way to raise your pumpkin bars.
The right way to Retailer
- Fridge. Cowl the baking sheet (bars included) in a double layer of plastic wrap (you should use toothpicks to pop the plastic away from the frosting). In any other case, organize slices in a single layer in an hermetic container. They may maintain within the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezer. Pop the bars within the freezer for a few hours. As soon as the frosting has firmed up, wrap the baking sheet (or particular person slices) in a double layer of plastic wrap. You may as well organize slices in a single layer in a freeze-safe hermetic container. Retailer them within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Enable the bars to thaw within the fridge while you’re prepared.
These bars are greatest loved at room temperature, so allow them to sit on the counter for a bit earlier than you dive again in.
Extra Pumpkin Recipes to Strive
Recipe
Pumpkin Bars
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook dinner Time: 20 minutes
Complete Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 20-24 bars
Class: Desserts
Methodology: Baking
Delicacies: American
Description
Fall in love with the final word pumpkin-y deal with! These moist pumpkin bars are filled with warming fall spices and topped with a wealthy cream cheese frosting. They’re the right autumn consolation meals!
Substances
For the Pumpkin Bars
- 1 1/2 cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons floor cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon floor nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon floor ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon floor cloves
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup packed (225g) gentle brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (104g) granulated sugar
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 massive eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups (345g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Floor cinnamon, non-compulsory
Directions
- Put together a 15×10-inch rimmed jelly roll pan with non-stick baking spray. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to a medium sized bowl and whisk to mix. Put aside.
- Add the melted butter, brown sugar, sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla extract to a big bowl and whisk collectively till properly mixed.
- Add the dry substances to the moist substances and whisk collectively till properly mixed, however don’t over combine.
- Pour the batter into the ready baking pan and unfold evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted within the center comes out clear. Take away from the oven and permit to chill fully.
- To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter in a big mixer bowl till properly mixed and easy.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and blend till properly mixed and easy.
- Add the vanilla extract and blend till properly mixed.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and blend till properly mixed and easy.
- Unfold frosting evenly onto the bars. Sprinkle with a bit cinnamon, if desired. Slice and serve.
- Retailer leftover bars in an air-tight container within the fridge. Serve at room temperature. Greatest if eaten inside 4-5 days.
Diet
- Serving Dimension: 1 bar
- Energy: 275
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 166 mg
- Fats: 14.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.6 g
- Protein: 2.2 g
- Ldl cholesterol: 53 mg