Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Bake the pumpkin bars
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and grease a 15x10-inch rimmed baking pan, so the bars release easily after baking.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until evenly blended with no visible spice streaks.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until light and smooth, with the mixture looking thick but pourable.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, stopping as soon as you no longer see dry flour.
- Spread the batter evenly into the greased pan and smooth the top for an even bake.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 F (175 C) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the bars completely on a wire rack so the frosting won’t melt or slide.
Make frosting and finish
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy, scraping the bowl as needed for a smooth texture.
- Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until fluffy, with the frosting thick enough to spread.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled bars, then sprinkle with a little cinnamon for a warm finish.
- Chill the frosted bars for 30 minutes, so the frosting firms up before cutting into bars.
- Cut into bars after chilling and serve or store for later.
Notes
Pro tip: beat the egg-pumpkin-sugar-oil mixture until it turns light and smooth, then mix the dry ingredients only until just combined for a cake-like crumb. Store bars covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezing is yes—freeze bars (without additional topping) in an airtight container up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge. For a dairy-light variation, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat butter; the frosting will be slightly softer after chilling.