Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin! The flavor for the season! Even though I don’t really like Pumpkin Pie, I love cookies, cake, muffins and especially these Pumpkin Bars. And when you add the Cream Cheese Frosting, it puts them over the top!
The recipe comes from a friend, many moons ago, and I’ve been baking them during the holidays ever since. One of the things I love the most, not to mention they are delicious, is baking them in a bar pan. Bar cookies of any kind are easy to bake, serve, eat and give as gifts as well.
They are light, fluffy and the cream cheese frosting gives them an extra special flavor. Be prepared to share this recipe, because everyone will be asking for it!
Even though the Pumpkin Bars aren’t too sweet, I did lighten them up with Truvia Baking Blend. Over the next several months, I will be sharing recipes and tips on the new Truvia Baking Blend. I’m super excited to be part of the Honestly Sweet Baking Bloggers!
Let’s make some Pumpkin Bars…
Truvia Baking Blend is a blend of Truvia sweetener and sugar with 75% fewer calories per serving than sugar.It reduces calories but is not zero calories. The Truvia Baking Blend can be used in baked goods like cupcakes, breakfast breads, muffins, cookies, and pies or for savory dishes like barbeque sauce and salad dressings.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, oil, pumpkin and Truvia Baking Blend. I included the sugar equivalent in the recipe below, but honestly, using the Truvia Baking Blend works great and for 75% less calories…why not use it?
Whisk together the dry ingredients. I like adding ingredients into a large measuring cup, it makes adding to the wet ingredients much easier.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until well combined. Spread the batter in a sheet pan, 15x10x1, evenly and bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.
These are the perfect Fall treat, and always a hit for Thanksgiving Dinner. But in case you are still in need of a Halloween Treat…
After the Cream Cheese Frosting is spread onto the Pumpkin Bars, add black frosting to a Decorator Bag fitted with a #3 Tip, {you can also use a ziploc bag for this}, pipe a small dot in the middle and then 3 or 4 rings around the dot. Using a toothpick, gently pull the black frosting from the middle outward. For the spider, I just piped a large dot of frosting for the body, a smaller one for the head and legs.
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
A delicious Fall treat, perfect for Thanksgiving. Recipe from HoosierHomemade.com
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup Truvia Baking Blend or 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 1 cup oil
- 1 can (15oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 (3 oz) pkg of cream cheese, softened {you can buy an 8oz pkg and cut it down if your store doesn't not carry 3 oz pkgs}
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Pumpkin Bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt & soda) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine eggs, Truvia Baking Blend, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients, gradually. Mix well.
- Spread batter in a greased 15x10x1 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.
Frosting
- Cream together butter and cream cheese.
- Add vanilla, mix well and then gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until mixture is smooth.
- Frost bars. Cut into squares and top with Mellowcreme Pumpkin, candy corn or gummi pumpkin (optional)
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0g
Halloween Crafts, Decorating and Treats on HoosierHomemade.com
Disclosure: I am part of the Truvia Honestly Sweet Baking Bloggers. I was compensated for this post. As always, the opinions and photos are my own.
Linking to Ingredient Spotlight, Show & Tell Friday
Oh, lordy does that look delish. Thanks for the recipe!!
Love pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. Oh, it is way too late to be reading nummy things like this. If only you lived next door and could run me over one!
These look good. I have always made Pumpkin Bread but I love cream cheese frosting so will give these a try. I may have to add some good chopped Texas pecans to them though!
Your pumpkin bar recipe looks fabulous. I think they will be on my dessert menu for Thanksgiving as well.
Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook
Those look adorable and nummy!! The boys will have a blast making these this weekend with me 🙂
I just recently made little pumpkin muffins with my pumpkin bread recipe, but I hadn’t thought about doing pumpkin bars. Great idea, will be trying these soon!
I can’t wait to make this recipe for my bible study group on Sunday! I printed it out and was checking the ingredient list. It says 1 (3 oz) package cream cheese. Does it mean 8 oz package? Thanks!
Hi Jen, you can buy an 8oz package and then cut it. The recipe only requires 3 oz, it does not have to be measured perfectly, if it’s a little over or under…that’s fine.
Let me know if you have other questions. Thanks much!
~Liz
I’m a fan. I love pumpkin bars! Your’s look fab.
That recipe looks awesome! I have a pumpkin bar recipe but no frosting. I MUST try your recipe~
I LOVE pumpkin bars! As I start to plan our Thanksgiving menu, I’m adding these. Have a great day!!
Oh YUM!!! These look fantastic. Did you know that the pumpkin muffins you made are really good with cream cheese as well?
Sounds good Tammy…did you make them with frosting?
~Liz
No, when we got ready to eat them, we split them and put spreadable cream cheese in the middle. Really yummy 😉
After baked and frosted should these be refrigerated? Do they hold up well if being set out?
Yes, they should be refrigerated after frosting because the frosting has cream cheese in them, however, they can set out for 2 hours or so.
Happy Baking!
~Liz
That’s what I thought but just checking. Thank you for the prompt reply and for the wonderful recipes. I’m planning on taking a batch for a large group Halloween Party. I don’t expect they will be sitting around for long. 🙂
I wouldn’t expect them to sit long either. They are one of my favorites. Thrilled you like the recipes!
~Liz
You said the two magic words for me… pumpkin and cream cheese. 🙂 YUM!
I love pumpkin cake, I’ll have to try this recipe! As always, your desserts look scrumptious! 🙂
YUM! I made a similar recipe a few weeks ago that I still need to post.
I love pumpkin bars, because they are just slightly denser than cupcakes. Somewhere between cake and muffin {at least mine were}. It is a nice change from the lightness of cupcakes.
I love Pumpkin. Can’t wait for the Trifle.