Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are the kind of treat that feels like a warm hug. When autumn hits and the leaves start tumbling like confetti, this recipe is what I reach for first. The base is perfectly spiced—not too strong, not too shy—and the frosting? Silky, tangy, and the kind of thing you ‘accidentally’ taste test with a spoon more than once. You don’t need to be a pastry chef, either. If you’ve ever stirred cake mix in a bowl, you’ve already got what it takes. It’s one bowl for the batter, one for the frosting, and a whole lot of cozy, cinnamon-scented joy. I make these for fall potlucks, lazy Sundays, or just because the kitchen feels better when it smells like pumpkin. This recipe fits right in with sweet easy recipes, easy dessert recipes, and all those easy baking recipes Pinterest is obsessed with. It’s simple, nostalgic, and yes—ridiculously good. Especially cold out of the fridge when the frosting gets just a little firmer. You’ve been warned.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
3) Ingredients for Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
4) How to Make Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
5) Tips for Making Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
6) Making Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
8) Try these Desserts next!
9) Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

These sweet easy recipes work perfectly for fall treats or year-round comfort bakes
The cream cheese frosting can be made ahead and stored in the fridge
You only need two bowls and under an hour to make this dessert
Each square is soft, warmly spiced, and frosted with creamy tanginess

2) Easy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Fall hits and my baking pans come out swinging. Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting aren’t just sweet easy recipes—they’re the comfort food of cozy kitchens. Every bite has a mellow hint of cinnamon, the kind that hugs your tongue rather than shouting at it. The soft cake-like texture gives way under your fork, and that frosting? Cool, tangy, and worth licking straight from the bowl.

You’ll love how quickly this comes together. The batter is forgiving. The frosting needs a quick whip. And before you know it, the house smells like someone who has their life together. These are easy baking recipes at their best. I’ve baked these for neighbors, potlucks, rainy Sundays, and the occasional midnight craving. They never last more than a day—maybe two if I hide a few in the back of the fridge.

This is what sweet easy recipes should be. No hassle. All flavor. And a little slice of seasonal nostalgia.

3) Ingredients for Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Eggs: You’ll need four large eggs. They hold everything together and keep the texture fluffy. Crack them gently—shell bits are party crashers here.

Granulated Sugar: Use 1 and 2/3 cups. It adds sweetness and helps give that golden top when baked.

Vegetable Oil: One cup. It makes the bars super moist and gives a rich, smooth crumb.

Pumpkin Puree: Go with a 15-ounce can. Make sure it’s 100% pumpkin, not pie filling.

All-Purpose Flour: Two cups. This forms the body of the bars. Don’t overmix it unless you want pumpkin bricks.

Baking Powder: Two teaspoons to lift the batter and give it that gentle rise.

Baking Soda: One teaspoon for extra rise and to work with the pumpkin’s acidity.

Salt: Just a half teaspoon. It balances all that sweetness beautifully.

Ground Cinnamon: Two teaspoons. Smells like fall and warms up the whole flavor profile.

Cream Cheese: An 8-ounce block, softened. This is where the frosting magic starts.

Butter: Use half a cup, also softened. Creamy and rich, it blends smoothly with the cream cheese.

Powdered Sugar: Two cups. It sweetens and thickens the frosting like a dream.

Vanilla Extract: Just a teaspoon, but it rounds out the frosting with a subtle warmth.

4) How to Make Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan lightly. No one likes scraping cake off metal.

Step 2: Whisk the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin in a large bowl until smooth. It’s okay if it looks a little too orange. That’s the good stuff.

Step 3: Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix gently—just until the batter stops looking dry.

Step 4: Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Try not to taste too much raw batter. I dare you.

Step 5: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Poke with a toothpick in the center—if it comes out clean, you’re golden.

Step 6: Let the bars cool completely. This part’s hard, but frosting warm cake equals disaster.

Step 7: For the frosting: beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat again until fluffy.

Step 8: Spread the frosting evenly. Slice into bars. Sneak one before calling the family over.

5) Tips for Making Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

If you want these to be one of your go-to sweet easy recipes, keep it simple and consistent. Use room temperature eggs and cream cheese—it makes a difference in how smooth things blend. Cold ingredients just don’t play well together.

Line your baking pan with parchment if you hate cleanup as much as I do. That way you can lift the whole thing out, cool it faster, and slice neater bars too.

Don’t rush the cooling process. If the bars are warm, the frosting will melt into a puddle. Trust me. I’ve made that mistake at least twice before learning.

6) Making Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Ahead of Time

This is one of those easy cake recipes that actually tastes better the next day. I usually bake the bars the night before, let them cool, and frost them in the morning. The flavors settle and the texture improves. It’s like they rest up overnight to impress you even more.

If you want to prep further ahead, just make the frosting and bars separately. Store the cake in foil or a container, and the frosting in a sealed bowl in the fridge. Bring both to room temp before combining.

That way, when guests arrive—or a sweet craving strikes—you’re already one step away from dessert.

7) Storing Leftover Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pop any leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate. They’ll keep well for up to five days. The frosting firms up a bit, which makes the bars even easier to slice neatly. And let’s be honest—cold pumpkin bars hit differently. Especially with coffee.

If you’re planning to take these to a potluck or gathering, you can freeze the unfrosted bars and frost them the day you serve. They freeze well and thaw evenly at room temp.

Just be warned: they don’t usually stick around long enough to need storage.

8) Try these Desserts next!

9) Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting