Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting (One Pan, 20 Squares)

Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are the fall dessert I get asked to bring more than anything else I make — a soft, moist, cinnamon-heavy pumpkin cake baked thin in one sheet pan, spread with a thick, tangy cream cheese frosting, and cut into twenty neat squares that disappear from a potluck table in about ten minutes.

They are halfway between a cake and a bar: tender like cake, but sturdy enough to eat with your hands. I tested them five times and the version below trades half the usual oil for Greek yogurt, which keeps the crumb just as moist, lets the pumpkin flavor come through, and takes a bit of the heaviness out. If you want something richer, my pumpkin cheesecake bars are the dense, creamy version; these are the light, fluffy one.

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Why these pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting come out moist every time.

• Oil plus Greek yogurt, not butter. Oil keeps cakes soft even straight from the fridge, which matters because frosted pumpkin bars live in the fridge. Swapping half of it for Greek yogurt adds moisture and a little tang without making them greasy. It is the same trick I use in my Greek yogurt banana bread.
• A thin layer in a big pan. Baking the batter in a 10×15-inch pan instead of a 9×13 gives you a thinner, more even cake that bakes through in 25 minutes without drying at the edges. The result is the classic bar-shaped square with a good frosting-to-cake ratio in every bite.
• Frosting that is tangy, not just sweet. Full-fat block cream cheese, softened butter, and only two cups of powdered sugar make a frosting that is thick enough to swirl and tastes like cream cheese instead of sugar. It is the best part of autumn next to my apple crisp.

Here's what you'll need.

One can of pumpkin puree, eggs, granulated sugar, neutral oil, plain Greek yogurt, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and for the frosting: full-fat block cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.

Here's how it all comes together.

STEP 1 — WHISK THE PUMPKIN BATTER

Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 10×15-inch rimmed pan with parchment, leaving a little overhang on the long sides. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, oil and Greek yogurt until smooth, glossy and a little lighter in color, about a minute. That minute of whisking dissolves the sugar and gives the bars a finer crumb.

STEP 2 — WHISK THE DRY INGREDIENTS

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt until evenly blended. Then add them to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until no flour shows. Overmixing develops the gluten and turns soft pumpkin bars into chewy ones.

STEP 3 — SPREAD IN THE PAN

Pour the batter into the lined pan and spread it right into the corners with an offset spatula, then tap the pan on the counter twice to level it and pop any big air bubbles. An even layer means even baking; if one end is thicker, it will still be gummy when the other end is done.

STEP 4 — BAKE AND COOL COMPLETELY

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the top is set and golden-orange, springs back when pressed, and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool the bars in the pan on a rack until completely cool, at least 45 minutes. Frosting a warm cake is how you get a melted, sliding mess.

STEP 5 — BEAT THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

While the bars cool, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt and beat on low until combined, then on medium-high for another 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Both the cream cheese and butter must be soft, or the frosting will be lumpy.

STEP 6 — FROST, CHILL AND CUT

Spread the frosting over the cooled bars with an offset spatula, making loose swirls on top, and dust lightly with cinnamon. Chill for 30 minutes so the frosting firms, then lift the whole slab out with the parchment and cut it into 20 squares with a long knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean edges.

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Things I learned while testing this recipe.

• Use block cream cheese, full fat, at room temperature. Tub cream cheese has extra water and makes a runny frosting that slides off the bars. Leave the block and the butter out for an hour before you start; cold cream cheese leaves little lumps no amount of beating fixes.
• Let the bars cool all the way before frosting. I have tried to rush this and the frosting melted into a glaze. Forty-five minutes on a rack, or 20 minutes in the fridge once they are no longer steaming, is enough.
• A 9×13 pan works, but adjust the time. The cake will be thicker and needs 30 to 35 minutes. Start checking at 28 with a toothpick. The squares will be taller and more cake-like; I prefer the thinner 10×15 version for a true bar.
• Make them a day ahead. Pumpkin bars taste better on day two, once the spices have settled in. Frost them, cover the pan and refrigerate overnight, then cut them cold for the cleanest squares.

Why this is my go-to fall dessert for a crowd.

• One pan feeds twenty. A 10×15 pan gives you twenty generous squares with almost no extra work compared with a single cake. It is the dessert I bring to school events, Friendsgiving and the office in October.
• It travels and it holds. Frosted and chilled, the bars go into a carrier in the pan and cut cleanly on arrival. They keep for four days in the fridge, so leftovers are still good by the weekend.
• A little lighter than the classic. Half the oil is replaced by Greek yogurt, and a square is about 310 calories with 4g protein. Cut them into 30 smaller bars and you have a two-bite dessert that fits a sensible day.

Here's what I'd serve with this.

• Crockpot pot roast — the Sunday dinner that makes pumpkin bars feel like the obvious dessert.
• Easy chicken pot pie — cozy fall comfort food before a sweet, spiced finish.
• Shepherd's pie — a make-ahead main for the same crowd you are baking for.
• Apple crisp — serve both at Thanksgiving and let people choose.
• Slow cooker potato soup — a soup-and-dessert night that feeds a crowd for very little.

Just in case you have leftovers.

Storing: Because of the cream cheese frosting, keep pumpkin bars covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, cut the frosted bars, freeze them on a tray until firm, then wrap individually and freeze in a container for up to 2 months.

Reheating: No reheating needed — serve them cold or let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes for a softer frosting. Thaw frozen bars overnight in the fridge. Do not microwave; the frosting melts before the cake warms.

More easy dessert recipes...

Pumpkin cheesecake bars Apple crisp Fudgy protein brownies Cottage cheese cheesecake

For a lighter fall dessert, my chocolate cottage cheese mousse is ready in five minutes. And today's other new recipes include my blackberry cobbler with a golden buttermilk biscuit top, and pumpkin protein muffins for breakfast.

Room for dessert, even on a high protein plan.

The Ultimate GLP-1 High Protein High Fiber Cookbook is built around filling, protein-forward meals — the kind that leave room for a square of something like this on the weekend without derailing the week.

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