These pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are an easy and delicious fall dessert you will want to make year after year! My super simple, sweet, tangy cinnamon cream cheese frosting comes together quickly! If you're craving fall flavors, these dessert bars will hit the spot!

Easy Pumpkin Bars Recipe

Once August rolls into September, I start craving all things pumpkin pie (particularly pumpkin spice recipes)! These dessert bars have it all, including a cinnamon cream cheese frosting for the perfect finishing touch.

These tasty sheet cake squares are one of my number one requested recipes for fall parties! And why not? They're so easy to make, and everyone loves them!!

Square image of pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. — These pumpkin dessert bars are sure to be a new favorite fall baking recipe!

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Easy Pumpkin Bars Recipe
🥘 Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients, Notes, & Substitutes
🔪 How To Make Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting
💭 Tips & Notes
🥡 Storing
❓ Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin Instead Of Canned Pumpkin Puree To Make Pumpkin Bars?
❓ What Frosting Goes Best With Pumpkin Bars?
❓ What Can I Add To My Pumpkin Bars?
📖 Recipe Card
💬 Reviews

🥘 Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients, Notes, & Substitutes

Pumpkin Bars

Eggs - 4 large eggs at room temperature.
Sugar - 1 ⅔ cups of granulated sugar or a sugar substitute.
Coconut Oil - 1 cup of melted and cooled coconut oil, a coconut oil substitute, or your preferred neutral-flavored cooking oil.
Pumpkin Puree - A 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree. I do recommend Libby's brand pumpkin puree for the best results. This brand has less moisture and yields better taste and texture.
Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or a vanilla extract substitute. Add up to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste to this tasty tray bake.
Baking Powder - 2 teaspoons of baking powder or a baking powder substitute.
Cinnamon - 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon.
Pumpkin Pie Spice - 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (see my recipe or use store-bought).
Baking Soda - 1 teaspoon of baking soda or a baking soda substitute.
Salt - 1 teaspoon of salt.
All-Purpose Flour - 2 cups of all-purpose flour or a flour substitute (spooned and leveled).

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese - 8 ounces of cream cheese softened at room temperature to make that tangy flavor everyone loves in a cream cheese frosting.
Butter - ½ cup of salted butter softened at room temperature or a butter substitute.
Confectioner's Sugar - 3 cups of powdered sugar or a confectioner's sugar substitute.
Heavy Cream - 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or a heavy cream substitute.
Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Ground Cinnamon - ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

You could always save time by mixing some cinnamon into store-bought cream cheese frosting (but homemade is much better)! Grab a 9x13 baking dish, your measuring utensils, a whisk, a silicone spatula, a mixing bowl, and a stand or hand mixer to get started.

This recipe makes 12 dessert bars. Slice the bars smaller to serve a large crowd.

Make the Pumpkin Bars

Process image 1 showing making the batter. — 1

Process image 2 showing making the batter. — 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) and lightly spritz a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 1: Whisk liquid ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs (200 grams), 1 ⅔ cups (33.33 grams) of sugar, 1 cup (236.59 milliliters) of coconut oil, 15 ounces (425.2 grams) of pumpkin puree, and 1 teaspoon (4.93 milliliters) of vanilla extract until well combined.

Step 2: Add dry ingredients. Stir in the 2 teaspoons (8 grams) of baking powder, 2 teaspoons (4 grams) of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons (4 grams) of pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of salt. Once everything is combined, mix in 2 cups of all-purpose flour until just combined.

Step 3: Bake. Pour your batter into your prepared baking dish, using a silicone spatula to spread it into an even layer. Then, bake it in the oven at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter sticking to it.

Step 4: Cool. Remove the baked bars from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting them.

Prepare the Frosting

Process image 6 showing making cream cheese frosting. — 6

Process image 7 showing making cream cheese frosting. — 6

Step 5: Beat cream cheese and butter. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat the softened 8 ounces (226.8 grams) of cream cheese and ½ cup (113.5 grams) of butter until nice and smooth.

Step 6: Make frosting. Add the 3 cups (360 grams) of confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons (29.57 milliliters) of heavy cream, 1 teaspoon (4.93 milliliters) of vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) of ground cinnamon and mix until thoroughly combined.

Frost the Bars, Slice, and Serve

Step 7: Frost pumpkin bars. Once your pumpkin bars have fully cooled, frost them using an offset silicone spatula.

Step 8: Enjoy. Serve as-is or garnish with a dusting of cinnamon, some candy pumpkins, or your favorite variety of crushed nuts.

These pumpkin bars and a warm glass of apple cider are one of our favorite treats after trick-or-treating! You can find more delicious recipes to make with canned pumpkin here!

Best recipes that use up canned pumpkin puree split trio image. — Canned Pumpkin Recipes

💭 Tips & Notes

For extra clean cuts, place your frosted pumpkin bars into the fridge for an hour or two before slicing (but you can serve them immediately after frosting them if you prefer).
A dusting of cinnamon makes these bars look extra elegant. Add chopped nuts for a crunchy texture, or place a fun candy pumpkin on each square! Chocolate chips would make a sweet and delicious stir-in.
You can lighten up your pumpkin bars by using a combination of ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce and ½ cup of oil instead of the full 1 cup of oil.

Wide image of cut pumpkin bars in baking dish.

🥡 Storing

Leftover bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. The frosting on its own can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month (thaw before using).

How To Freeze

You can bake and freeze the bars for up to 2 months without the frosting. First, slice and wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap.

Then, gently place them into a storage bag or container and freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge when ready.

>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<

❓ Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin Instead Of Canned Pumpkin Puree To Make Pumpkin Bars?

Yes, you can use fresh pumpkin puree, but canned pumpkin puree is convenient and works just as well! Be sure to drain the excess liquid if using homemade pumpkin puree.

❓ What Frosting Goes Best With Pumpkin Bars?

I am partial to this cinnamon cream cheese frosting, but regular cream cheese frosting or even a vanilla buttercream would also be tasty. If you aren't a frosting fan, you could even lightly drizzle it with a quick vanilla icing! Learn all about frosting vs icing vs glaze here!

❓ What Can I Add To My Pumpkin Bars?

If you want to incorporate a little crunch, mix some chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter. You could also try adding chocolate chips (white or semi-sweet chocolate would be delicious)!

Tall image of pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting.

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Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

Easy Pumpkin Bars Recipe