Description
Delicious and moist pumpkin bars with a creamy cream cheese frosting, perfect for fall gatherings or anytime you crave a spiced treat.
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.
- 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. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Mix in the flour, kosher salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. Whisk everything together until completely incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
- Bake the bars: Pour the batter evenly into the greased pan. Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the frosting: Beat together the room temperature cream cheese and unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and sifted powdered sugar, adjusting the amount to reach your desired frosting consistency.
- Frost the bars: Once the pumpkin bars are completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly on top. Slice into 18 bars and serve.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter after adding dry ingredients to prevent tough bars due to gluten development.
- Use a toothpick or skewer to test for doneness. If it comes out sticky, bake longer.
- Sift powdered sugar thoroughly to avoid lumps in the frosting; discard any lumps too difficult to push through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
