If you’re looking for a fun, festive, and sweet-but-not-too-sweet treat to make for Halloween, this easy pumpkin bars recipe is just the thing for you! It’s based on the pumpkin bread recipe that I make every fall. Like the bread, these bars are moist, tender, and filled with pumpkin spice flavor. UNlike the bread, they’re topped in a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting, which really highlights the warm spices inside them. On cool fall afternoons, they’re the perfect treat to pair with a coffee or tea. But heads up: these pumpkin bars are seriously addictive. Eat one, and you’ll have finished a second (or third) before you know it!
Easy Pumpkin Bars Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy pumpkin bars recipe:
Ground flaxseed and water act as an egg replacer in this recipe – they thicken the batter and help it rise. All-purpose flour and almond flour make these pumpkin bars super moist and tender. I love using this combo in baking – find it in my blueberry muffins and banana bread, too! Pumpkin pie spice fills these bars with warm autumn flavor. I like to use this homemade pumpkin spice blend, but if you prefer, you could substitute 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom. Baking powder and baking soda help them rise. Coconut oil adds moisture and richness. Maple syrup sweetens them up. Vanilla extract deepens the flavor. Pumpkin puree adds essential pumpkin flavor and moisture. Find it in a can, or make your own with this recipe! If you have leftover puree, use it to make pumpkin pancakes or French toast. And a dash of salt highlights the sweet, spiced flavor. Yum!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Combine the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another. Then, pour the wet pumpkin mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Spread the batter into a baking pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350° for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Now for the hard part: letting the bars cool! It’s tempting to slice them or frost them right away, but they must cool to room temperature first. If they’re still warm, the bars will crumble, and the frosting will melt!
Pumpkin Bars Recipe Variations
When it comes to topping these bars, you have a few options. They’re fantastic with the luscious frosting on its own, but you can also sprinkle a little something else on top. I love chocolate with any pumpkin dessert, so I add mini chocolate chips. Chopped pecans would be great here too. Have fun customizing the topping to suit your tastes! Leftover frosting? Slather it on my carrot cake (see here for a vegan version).
Because I use part almond flour in this pumpkin bars recipe, it’s a natural candidate for a gluten-free variation. To make this recipe gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour. Happy baking! 🙂
More Favorite Fall Desserts
If you love these pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, try one of these delicious fall desserts next:
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Apple Oatmeal Cookies Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Cinnamon Apple Crumble Apple Crumble Pie Best Pumpkin Pie
