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pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting
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4.58 from 7 votes

Pumpkin Bars Recipe

These Pumpkin Bars are perfect for fall! They're a pumpkin cookie baked as a bar and frosted with cream cheese frosting!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Cooling30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 bars
Calories: 338kcal
Author: Dorothy Kern
Cost: $8-10

Ingredients

For the bars:

  • ½ cup Challenge Unsalted Butter (113g), melted
  • ⅓ cup (81g) pumpkin puree
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 ¾ cups (217g) all-purpose flour

For the frosting:

  • 8 ounces Challenge Cream Cheese (226g), softened
  • 4 tablespoons Challenge Unsalted Butter (56g), softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 ½ cups (396g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (5ml) heavy whipping cream as needed for consistency

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13” pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Place melted butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a strand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (You can also use a hand mixer or a wooden spoon.) Mix until combined. Continue mixing and add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Add the baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice and mix until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly mix in flour until a smooth dough forms.
  • Press dough into prepared pan. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until just browned around the edges and the teeniest bit jiggly in the center (these are better slightly under baked as they finish baking while they cool).
  • Make the frosting: beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and mix in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth. Slowly mix in cream until you get a spreadable consistency.
  • Frost the bars as desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze in a single layer for up to one month.

Video

Notes

Only have Pumpkin Pie Spice? Use 2 teaspoons instead of the nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 158mg | Potassium: 58mg | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 1280IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.9mg