The BEST Pumpkin Bars! They're perfectly pumpkin-y, deliciously rich and buttery, and they are finished with heavenly cream cheese frosting. A fall staple every year!
Servings: 20
Prep25 minutesminutes
Cook25 minutesminutes
Cooling2 hourshours
Ready in: 2 hourshours50 minutesminutes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars
2cups (256 g)unbleached all-purpose flour(spoon and level to measure)
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
Place butter in a large microwave safe mixing bowl. Heat in microwave until melted (I recommend covering the bowl. It takes about 30 to 60 seconds). Let it cool slightly.
Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla extract to melted butter then whisk until well combined.
Pour flour mixture in with wet ingredients and fold and stir mixture with a rubber spatula until combined.
Pour and spread mixture evenly into prepared baking sheet using an offset spatula.
Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 22 to 25 minutes.
Let cool completely on a wire rack.
For the cream cheese frosting: Add cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl.
Using an electric hand mixer blend on low speed until combined, then increase speed to high and whip until light and fluffy about 2 to 3 minutes.
Spread frosting over cooled pumpkin bars. Cut into squares.
Notes
*If you like more spice flavor increase ginger to 1/2 tsp and cloves to 1/4 tsp.
**This recipe is also delicious using browned butter if you are looking for one more layer of flavor then brown in a light colored skillet, pour into heat proof mixing bowl and let cool 10 minutes before proceeding.
Store in the fridge in an airtight container. They should be stored in a single layer if frosting isn't chilled yet.
Bring bars to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before serving. Bars can also be frozen.