Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting (Easy + Moist!)

These pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are one of those recipes that shows up every single fall without fail — and for really good reason.

The bars themselves are soft, moist, and perfectly spiced. They bake up beautifully in a 9×13 pan, slice cleanly into squares, and hold together so well you can pick them up and eat them without a fork. Which makes them perfect for potlucks, gatherings, or just having something delicious sitting on your counter all week.

And then there is the cream cheese frosting. Thick, fluffy, tangy, perfectly sweet — it is the kind of frosting you could eat straight from the bowl. Spread over the cooled bars it takes the whole thing from a simple spice cake to something people genuinely rave about.

One bowl for the bars. A few minutes to make the frosting. Done.

Love all things pumpkin? Do not miss my full collection of the best pumpkin dessert recipes — cheesecakes, rolls, cookies, breads, and more all in one place.

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Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Moist, soft pumpkin bars that hold together perfectly — great for potlucks and gatherings
• One bowl batter with no mixer needed — just stir and pour
• That thick fluffy cream cheese frosting makes every single bite
• Bakes in a 9×13 pan and feeds 16 to 20 people
• Keeps in the fridge for 5 days — makes ahead beautifully
• Simple ingredients, big pumpkin spice flavour all the way through

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Ingredients

For the pumpkin bars:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree
• 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil or avocado oil
• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 8 oz (226g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream or milk, if needed to thin

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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Pumpkin puree — Use 100% pure canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The whole can goes in — no waste, no measuring stress. Libby is the most reliable brand.

Oil — Vegetable oil or avocado oil both work perfectly. The oil is what keeps these bars so moist and tender — do not swap for melted butter, which gives a drier result.

Sugar — Granulated white sugar is the default. You can swap half of it for packed light brown sugar for a slightly deeper, warmer flavour.

Spices — Cinnamon is the backbone. Pumpkin pie spice and ginger add depth. If you want to simplify, use 1 tbsp total of pumpkin pie spice blend in place of all three individual spices.

Flour — All-purpose flour only. Do not use cake flour — it is too delicate for a dense, moist bar like this.

Walnuts or pecans — Completely optional. They add a nice crunch and textural contrast. If baking for a crowd with nut allergies, leave them out entirely — the bars are just as good without.

Cream cheese — Full-fat block cream cheese only. Not spreadable, not whipped, not low-fat. Soften fully at room temperature before beating — at least 1 hour.

Butter in the frosting — Also must be softened at room temperature. Cold butter and cold cream cheese together will give you lumpy frosting.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Pan and Oven

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with nonstick spray or butter. Line with parchment paper if you want to lift the bars out easily for slicing — leave some overhang on two sides to use as handles.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and pumpkin puree together with a whisk or hand mixer until smooth and combined.

Add the granulated sugar and whisk until fully incorporated. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking as you go, until the mixture is smooth and uniform.

Step 3: Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, and salt directly to the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula until just combined — stop as soon as no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.

Fold in the chopped nuts if using.

Step 4: Bake

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly to the edges with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back lightly when pressed. Do not overbake — a slightly underbaked bar is far better than a dry one.

Step 5: Cool Completely

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting. This is not optional — frosting warm bars will melt the cream cheese frosting and it will slide right off.

Cool at room temperature for at least 1 to 2 hours. You can speed this up by placing the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes once it has cooled to room temperature.

Step 6: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl with a hand mixer on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until completely smooth and creamy.

Add the softened butter and beat until combined and fluffy.

Reduce to medium speed and add the sifted powdered sugar in two or three additions, beating after each one. Add the vanilla and pinch of salt and beat on high for 1 to 2 minutes until the frosting is thick, fluffy, and completely smooth. If it looks too thick, add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream or milk at a time and beat until spreadable.

Step 7: Frost and Slice

Spoon the cream cheese frosting onto the cooled bars and spread in an even layer all the way to the edges. Use an offset spatula for the smoothest finish.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the frosting before slicing — this gives you clean, sharp edges on every bar.

Slice into 16 to 20 squares with a long sharp knife, wiping it clean between each cut.

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Tips for the Best Results

• Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling — check the label every time
• Do not overmix once the flour goes in — stir just until combined
• Do not overbake — pull them when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not when it is bone dry
• Cool completely before frosting — completely means no warmth left at all
• Soften the cream cheese and butter fully before making the frosting — cold ingredients mean lumpy frosting
• Refrigerate 30 minutes after frosting before slicing for clean edges
• Wipe the knife between every cut for neat, bakery-worthy squares
• Make ahead and refrigerate overnight — the spice flavour deepens and the bars are even better the next day

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Variations

• Brown sugar bars — swap half the granulated sugar for packed light brown sugar for a deeper, more caramel-like warmth
• Chocolate chip version — fold 1/2 cup of chocolate chips into the batter instead of nuts for a pumpkin chocolate chip bar
• Maple cream cheese frosting — add 1 tbsp of pure maple syrup to the frosting in place of the vanilla for a warmly autumnal twist
• Cinnamon sugar topping — skip the frosting and dust the warm bars with a mixture of 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon for a lighter, simpler finish
• Gluten free — swap the all-purpose flour for a 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour at the same quantity
• Mini bars — bake in two 8×8 inch pans for thicker, more cake-like bars. Add 5 to 8 extra minutes of bake time and check with a toothpick

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What to Serve With Them

• As-is, cold from the fridge — honestly the best way
• With a dusting of cinnamon over the cream cheese frosting for a little extra warmth
• Alongside a cup of hot coffee or spiced apple cider
• On a fall dessert table next to pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin roll for a full spread
• Wrapped individually and packed into lunchboxes or gift boxes — they travel beautifully

Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are one of those recipes that never needs an occasion. They are just as good on a random Tuesday as they are on a full fall holiday table.

The bars are moist and warmly spiced all the way through. The frosting is thick and fluffy and just the right amount of tangy. Together they are exactly what fall baking should taste like — simple, cozy, and completely irresistible.

Make a pan, slice them up, and watch them disappear one by one.

For more pumpkin dessert recipes you will love:

• Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
• No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Dump Cake
• Pumpkin Pie