Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin bars are a classic fall treat. Not to be confused with pumpkin pie bars (which have a custard filling, just like pumpkin pie), pumpkin bars are light and cakey, and they’re usually slathered in cream cheese frosting, as all cake should be.

A combination of Greek yogurt and pumpkin purée gives these pumpkin bars a moist, tender crumb, and they have all your favorite cozy pumpkin spices for warm fall vibes. They’re excellent for that homecoming bake sale or bringing to any autumnal get-together, but they’re also easy enough to whip up just because you have a hankering for something sweet and pumpkin-flavored.

Easy Pumpkin Bars

Moist and tender, yet light and fluffy. Sometimes these qualities are mutually exclusive, but this pumpkin bar recipe strikes the perfect balance, managing to be airy and light but not at all dry or crumbly.

Easy to make. Like pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars are a breeze to make. In fact, the method for making these bars is almost the same, so if you can make pumpkin bread (or pumpkin chocolate chip bread!), you can make these bars!

Always a crowd-pleaser. While pumpkin pie has some haters, no one can resist pumpkin bars. Their cake-like texture, cozy spices, and cream cheese frosting make everyone a fan!

Ingredient Notes

• Pumpkin purée: Be sure to grab a can of 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is sweetened and spiced. They are often sold side-by-side so it’s important to look closely at the label.
• Eggs: Let the eggs come to room temperature; they’ll mix more evenly into the batter and hold more air when beaten. However, if you forget, don’t worry, the bars will still turn out fine.
• Plain Greek yogurt: Many pumpkin bars contain a lot of oil. I substitute plain yogurt for a healthier dessert; I usually use nonfat yogurt but other types of unflavored Greek yogurt will work fine.
• Sugar: Just use everyday white granulated sugar—nothing fancy!
• All-purpose flour: You’ll need two cups of flour. Be sure to get an accurate measurement of flour by lightly spooning it into the measuring cup.
• Pumpkin pie spice: You can buy pumpkin pie spice but it’s easy to make your own pumpkin pie spice with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
• Pure vanilla extract and salt: These two ingredients are added to baked goods to enhance their flavor.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Common leavening agents that make these pumpkin bars light and fluffy.

For the Frosting:

• Reduced-fat cream cheese and unsalted butter: Let these soften at room temperature so they’re easy to combine together smoothly.
• Pure vanilla extract: This adds balance and depth to the flavor of cream cheese frosting.
• Milk: Any kind you keep on hand is fine.
• Powdered sugar: Using powdered sugar instead of granulated ensures that your frosting won’t have a grainy texture.

How to Make Pumpkin Bars

Get ready. Turn the oven on to preheat (350°F). Lightly spray a large sheet pan (about 17 x 12 inches) with nonstick spray or lightly grease it with shortening.

Mix the wet ingredients. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl until blended, then whisk in the sugar, yogurt, pumpkin, and vanilla. The mixture should be smooth and creamy.

Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in another bowl.

Combine wet and dry. Stir the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Don’t over-mix or your bars won’t rise as much! You shouldn’t see any bits of dry flour but a few small lumps are okay.

Bake. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared sheet pan. Bake the bars on the center rack for 24 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely.

Make the frosting. When the bars are cool, cream the butter and cream cheese, then beat in the remaining ingredients until the frosting is light and fluffy. You may have to adjust the consistency by adding more milk if the frosting is too thick, or more powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin.

Frost the bars. Spread the frosting onto the bars. Wait an hour or so to let the frosting harden a bit. Cut the bars into 24 squares, and serve.

Recipe Variations

• Make pumpkin bar mummies. You can use a piping bag to create “bandages” with the white frosting, then pipe small dots for the eyes, or buy candy eyes to stick on.
• Add nuts. Fold chopped walnuts or pecans into the pumpkin bar batter or sprinkle them on top of the frosting. Toast the nuts first for the best flavor but be sure they are cool before you add them to the cake.
• Make them chocolatey. Mini chocolate chips can also be added to the batter or used to top the frosting.
• Halloween flair. Top the frosting with orange and black sprinkles. You can also color the frosting orange with food coloring.
• Make them gluten-free. Swap a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour for the all-purpose flour.

Refrigerate: Because of the cream cheese frosting, these pumpkin bars should be stored in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Pumpkin bars can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them until the frosting is solid, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Unwrap the bars before thawing in the fridge to keep the frosting from sticking to the plastic wrap.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• Preheat oven to 350°F with the oven rack in the center of the oven. Grease or lightly spray with nonstick spray a 17 x 12 inch sheet pan (half sheet pan).

• In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add sugar, yogurt, pumpkin and vanilla; whisk until well blended.

  4 large eggs, 1 ⅔ cups sugar, 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• In a separate smaller bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

  2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt

• Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture; stirring until well blended. Spread batter into prepared pan.

• Bake for 24 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting, at least 40 minutes depending on how warm your kitchen is.

Cream cheese frosting:

• In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together softened cream cheese and butter until blended.

  8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened, ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

• Add vanilla, milk, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency of the frosting, if necessary, by adding more milk, a teaspoon at a time if it’s too thick, or additional powdered sugar, if it’s too thin.

  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 3 teaspoons milk, more if needed, 4 cups powdered sugar, more if needed

• Spread frosting on cooled bars. Cut bars into 24 squares (approx. 3 x 3 inches) when frosting has set. If you prefer, the bars can be cut into smaller or larger squares.

To Decorate like Mummies:

• Cut cooled bars into rectangles.

• Using a piping bag and a piping tip with a long, thin opening (I use one similar to a Wilton 104), pipe small dots for the eyes (you can also use a toothpick for this), and place eyes on top of frosting. Then, work back and forth with the frosting to create a mummy effect. It doesn’t have to be perfect!

• How to serve: The bars are soft and cake-like, not necessarily a finger food. If the squares are larger in size, you may want serve them like cake, with a fork.
• Garnishes: Top the frosting with 1½ cups finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts. Mini chocolate chips are great, too. For Halloween, top the frosting with orange and black sprinkles.
• Storage: Because of the cream cheese frosting, these pumpkin bars should be stored in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 5 days. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Refer to the post for freezing instructions.
• Originally published as Pumpkin Bar Edible Mummies. Retested and revised 10/24.

Serving: 1frosted bar, Calories: 230kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 180mg, Potassium: 98mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 35g, Vitamin A: 2916IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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