Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Pumpkin Bars

Teresa Ambra

Pumpkin Bars have been a favorite treat for a long time. I love these delicious cake-type bars with luscious cream cheese frosting. They are moist, rich, decadent, and scrumptious! They are not like a traditional brownie or blondie-type bar. Pumpkin Bars are really more like a sheet cake with icing on them than a classical bar-type cookie, but that’s the name I’ve always had for these amazing treats.

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The recipe bakes on a 10×15″ jelly roll pan, then you frost them with the cream cheese frosting. I usually either freeze them or refrigerate them for several hours before cutting as they are hard to cut cleanly. Even still, these are some of the most delicious goodies you will ever taste.

Back in the early 1980s we went to a Christmas Open House at our pastor’s home and one of the ladies we knew brought these lovely treats to share. Oh, goodness, these were so good that I immediately grabbed another! I was enthralled with Pumpkin Bars from the very first bite and I made sure I got the recipe so I could make them myself later.

Every time I’ve ever made this recipe our company have raved over them–and rightly so, they are just that good. Pumpkin Bars aren’t really all that difficult to make either. Truly, the hardest part is cutting them afterwards. I recommend you bake them a day in advance and leave them in the refrigerator for about 10-12 hours or the freezer for 5-6 hours before cutting. I think I had mine in the freezer this time about 3 or 4 hours and still it was hard to cut them evenly because the texture is so soft. But if the most difficult part of a recipe is cutting them, I can live with that!

These bars are so outrageously delicious that they’re worth the inconvenience of freezing a little before eating. Now if you’re only serving them to your family and they don’t care so much about pretty……well, by all means dig into them whenever!

If you’re on the lookout for a fabulous pumpkin recipe for fall or holiday baking than Pumpkin Bars is one you should consider. I warn you in advance these bars are addictive. Stopping at one is an incredible force of the will! I assure you that you and your family will absolutely devour these amazing Pumpkin Bars if you make up a batch. You may have to hide some away in the freezer to ensure you actually get one, or two! 🙂 And if you make them for company you may find them gone rather quickly, so hurry up and grab one before they’re all gone!

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Pumpkin Bars are a very scrumptious dessert.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Enjoy these delectable treats while pumpkin is readily available–or do what I do and stock up on pumpkin during the holidays so I have plenty of it throughout the year!

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Pumpkin Bars are moist, rich and decadent. We love this spectacular dessert. It’s a great treat to take to holiday or Christmas parties.

Here’s what I did.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Measure canola oil and place in glass mixing bowl. Add pumpkin–not pumpkin pie mix, eggs and sugar.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Add cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda and UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour. Bleached flour toughens baked goods.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Don’t overmix the dough.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Spray a 10×15″ jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Then line it with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper with cooking spray also. Pour pumpkin filling into the pan.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool COMPLETELY!

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

While Pumpkin Bars are baking, prepare Cream Cheese Topping: Soften cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Add vanilla, milk and powdered sugar.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Blend with an electric mixer until smooth.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Spread icing over top of bars and refrigerate several hours or overnight OR: place in freezer for several hours to make cutting easier.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Pull the parchment paper out of the pan and placed it on a cutting board to cut the Pumpkin Bars. 

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Pumpkin Bars are so yummy. These will get gobbled up at your end-of-year parties in no time! Be prepared: it’s really hard to stop at just one!

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

I cut these bars rather large for what I was making them for, but generally speaking, I cut these into 48 bars (rather than 36)

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

These delicious bars are great for fall baking. They’re terrific with pumpkin candies on top! 🙂

Here’s the recipe.

PUMPKIN BARS

(Recipe from Diane Newhouse, when we attended First Baptist Church Indian Rocks, Largo, FL)

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Pumpkin Bars

Teresa Ambra
Pumpkin Bars are sensational and so very mouthwatering. This luscious pumpkin cake-type bar has a heavenly cream cheese frosting on top. It's moist, rich, decadent, delightful, and easy to make. Perfect for fall baking.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 48
Calories 135 kcal

Equipment

  • parchment paper
  • 1 11x17" cookie sheet pan
  • 2 large mixing bowls
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 2 wooden spoons
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 spatula

Ingredients
  

BARS:

  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (Bleached flour toughens baked goods)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 16 oz. can pumpkin
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

  • 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. 2% milk
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions
 

PUMPKIN BARS:

  • Place parchment paper in a large cookie sheet.
  • Spray well with cooking spray.
  • Blend together all ingredients and pour into parchment lined cookie sheet with an edge.
  • Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool completely before adding Cream Cheese Frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

  • Soften cream cheese and butter.
  • Add vanilla, milk and powdered sugar.
  • Cream with an electric mixer until smooth.
  • Spread icing over cooled pumpkin bars.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

NOTE: This is really more cake-like than the consistency of cookies or bars.
 
NOTE: For easier cutting, you may want to freeze the bars for a few hours.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 110mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 1526IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg
Keyword cake, cookies, dessert, pumpkin, pumpkin bars
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

[b]Pumpkin Bars[/b]
Recipe Type: Cookies, Brownies and Bars
Cuisine: American
Author: Teresa Ambra adapted from Diane Newhouse, when we attended First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks, Largo, FL
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 32
A luscious pumpkin cake-type bar with a delicious cream cheese frosting. Moist, rich, decadent, delightful, and easy to make.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups [url href=”http://www.goldmedalflour.com/” target=”_blank” title=”gold medal unbleached flour”]Gold Medal[/url] UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 16-oz. can [url href=”http://www.libbys.com/our-products” target=”_blank” title=”libby’s pumpkin”]Libby’s[/url] pumpkin
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt[br]
  • [b]CREAM CHEESE TOPPING:[/b][br]
  • 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
  • ½ stick unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tbsp. milk
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Blend together, spread on greased and floured cookie sheet with edge and bake 15-20 minutes at 350°.[br]
[b]CREAM CHEESE TOPPING:[/b][br]
  1. Mix together, spread on cooled pumpkin bars.
Notes
This is really more cake-like than the consistency of cookies or bars.
Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

We love these luscious Pumpkin Bars and believe your family will too once you taste a mouthful!

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

It is helpful to keep the Pumpkin Bars refrigerated so the Cream Cheese Topping stays firm and doesn’t soften.

Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

These will keep a week or so in the refrigerator (if they last THAT long!) These are great tailgating treats! They will be scooped up in no time!

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Pumpkin Cranberry Cookies

Pumpkin Cranberry Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these favorite #Christmas #cookies use #pumpkin, fresh #cranberries & have a #cinnamon frosting on top with #sprinkles! Terrific #dessert for #fall baking.

Pumpkin Sprinkle Blondies

Pumpkin Sprinkle Blondies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | These amazing blondies are so easy because they're made with a #pumpkin cake mix! Sprinkles & #whitechocolatechips make them fantastic. #dessert #chocolate #cookie

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pumpkin Cookies

Melt in Your Mouth Pumpkin Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these are the most awesome #pumpkin #cookies ever! The brown sugar buttercream frosting is amazing. These are terrific for #Christmas baking & parties. #dessert
Pumpkin Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | sensational #dessert for #fall #baking. The #creamcheese frosting is heavenly. #pumpkin #cookie

Pumpkin Bars

Teresa Ambra
Pumpkin Bars are sensational and so very mouthwatering. This luscious pumpkin cake-type bar has a heavenly cream cheese frosting on top. It's moist, rich, decadent, delightful, and easy to make. Perfect for fall baking.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 48
Calories 135 kcal

Equipment

  • parchment paper
  • 1 11×17" cookie sheet pan
  • 2 large mixing bowls
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 2 wooden spoons
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 spatula

Ingredients
  

BARS:

  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (Bleached flour toughens baked goods)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 16 oz. can pumpkin
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

  • 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. 2% milk
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions
 

PUMPKIN BARS:

  • Place parchment paper in a large cookie sheet.
  • Spray well with cooking spray.
  • Blend together all ingredients and pour into parchment lined cookie sheet with an edge.
  • Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool completely before adding Cream Cheese Frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

  • Soften cream cheese and butter.
  • Add vanilla, milk and powdered sugar.
  • Cream with an electric mixer until smooth.
  • Spread icing over cooled pumpkin bars.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

NOTE: This is really more cake-like than the consistency of cookies or bars.
 
NOTE: For easier cutting, you may want to freeze the bars for a few hours.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 110mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 1526IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg
Keyword cake, cookies, dessert, pumpkin, pumpkin bars
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

8 Comments

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  • Karen

    October 29, 2013 at 5:55 pm

    whoops, just read the post more thoroughly. I see that you actually recommend freezing them. Good! Now I can make them in advance.

    1. Teresa

      October 30, 2013 at 2:12 pm

      Absolutely. They are a lot easier to cut if they’re frozen or refrigerated. I would put these in the freezer (without wrapping first) until the icing is dry and doesn’t smudge when you try to wrap it up. Then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and another with foil. These will freeze fine. Just remember the longer they stay in the freezer the more moisture will come out of them so if you keep them frozen for six months or so they may be a little dry, but a couple of months should be fine. Thanks for stopping by.

  • Karen

    October 29, 2013 at 5:12 pm

    Do you think these are freezable?

  • Heather @ Sugar Dish Me

    October 13, 2013 at 7:43 pm

    Ohhhhh cream cheese frosting! I love pumpkin bars!!!! Also those little pumpkin candies. Any excuse to buy them is awesome. Recipes between friends are the best kind!! Glad you talked your pal outta this recipe!

    1. Teresa

      October 13, 2013 at 8:01 pm

      🙂 Thanks! These really are luscious! I have a hard time staying out of the!

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