Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting (Printable)

Spiced pumpkin bars with creamy frosting, ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Pumpkin Bars

01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
10 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting

14 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
16 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add pumpkin puree and mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix to ensure tender texture.
05 - Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 22-27 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan before frosting.
06 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; continue beating until light and fluffy.
07 - Spread frosting evenly over cooled bars. Cut into squares and serve immediately or store in refrigerator.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly moist and stays that way for days thanks to the pumpkin
  • That cream cheese frosting transforms an everyday bar into something genuinely special
  • They travel beautifully and actually improve after a night in the fridge
02 -
  • These need to cool completely before frosting or the frosting will melt into a sad mess
  • Room temperature ingredients for the frosting are non negotiable if you want it smooth
03 -
  • Use real pumpkin puree not pie filling or the bars will be overly sweet and spiced
  • Let the frosting come to room temperature before spreading for the smoothest results

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