Pumpkin Spice Bars

Name: Pumpkin Spice Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (130g) pumpkin puree; 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled; 3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar; 1/4 cup (60g) granulated sugar; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1-1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled); 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice plus extra for garnish; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, softened; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1-1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar; 1-2 teaspoons 2% or skim milk

By Sarah On September 1, 2015 | Updated: October 15, 2026

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These pumpkin spice bars feature a soft, cake-like texture, lots of pumpkin spice goodness, and a silky cream cheese frosting on top.

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I brought pumpkin bars to celebrate the unofficial start to fall!

Hard to believe, but here we are again with a new pumpkin season upon us and another meeting of Pumpkin Lovers Anonymous has come to order. Glorious orange-filled days stretch ahead.

Kicking things off with a batch of the best pumpkin bars in all the land only felt fitting. Frosted to utter perfection with a luxurious cream cheese frosting of course, because that’s just how we roll.

For those of you that have tried my pumpkin sheet cake, these bars are similar in flavor, but actually a completely different texture! The cake has a light and fluffy texture while these bars have a bit of a tighter, cakier crumb.

Both great recipes in their own way, but honestly, my heart is completely obsessed with these bars right now.

These Pumpkin Bars Feature…

A dense, cakey bar texture
Creamy pumpkin and lots of warming spices
A silky cream cheese frosting

Making the Pumpkin Bars

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

Pumpkin puree
Unsalted butter
Brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Egg
Vanilla extract
All-purpose flour
Pumpkin pie spice
Baking powder
Baking soda
Kosher salt
Cream cheese
Powdered sugar
2% or skim milk

Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Bars

Squeeze liquid out of pumpkin – this will keep excess water out of the batter which gives these bars a tight, cakey crumb.
Measure flour correctly – I use the spoon-and-level technique for measuring flour as this will prevent over-measuring your flour. Use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife. For the most accurate level of precision you can also weigh your flour in grams.
Gently fold batter – use a light hand when mixing batter and gently fold so as not to overmix.
Use a toothpick to test bars – insert a toothpick in the center of bars to test for doneness.
Allow bars to cool before frosting – the frosting will melt off if you try to frost them while the bars are still warm.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on these bars.

Add chocolate – fold 1/2 cup semisweet, dark, or white chocolate chips into the batter.
Add nuts – fold 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter.
Use a different frosting – try a vanilla buttercream, chocolate frosting, or caramel sauce.

Storing and Freezing Bars

Due to the cream cheese frosting these bars must be stored in refrigerator. Store bars in refrigerator up to 4 days and bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

If you would like to freeze these bars, allow to cool completely and do not frost. Wrap well and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw bars completely at room temperature and top with frosting before serving.

Try these other pumpkin favorites next!

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