Description
Deliciously moist and spiced pumpkin bars topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting, perfect for fall gatherings or a cozy dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bars
- 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup neutral oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10 x 14-inch jelly roll pan and set it aside to be ready for the batter.
- Make the Batter: In a large bowl, crack and beat the eggs. Add the pumpkin puree, neutral oil, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract, whisking until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, whisking until fully incorporated but avoiding overmixing to keep the bars tender.
- Bake the Bars: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the Frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat together the room temperature cream cheese and unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, then gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more powdered sugar if needed.
- Frost the Bars: Once the pumpkin bars are completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Slice into 18 bars and serve.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients to prevent tough bars caused by gluten development.
- Use a skewer or toothpick to test for doneness; it should come out relatively clean without wet batter.
- Sift powdered sugar for the frosting to avoid lumps; discard any lumps that do not sift easily.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
