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    Desserts

    Home > Recipes > Desserts > Pumpkin Bars

    Pumpkin Bars

    By Maike | Published: August 17, 2020 | Modified: December 9, 2021

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    PIN RECIPE Jump to Recipe
    The Yummiest Pumpkin Bars

    This tender and incredibly moist Pumpkin Bar recipe is gently spiced with the best fall flavors: pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and dried cherries. Finished with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting, these dessert bars are the perfect fall dessert.

    a forkful of pumpkin sheet cake

    If you love tender and moist cake-like treats like our Banana Nut Bread or Easy Zucchini Bread, this pumpkin dessert is for you.

    While you can use fresh pumpkin, I generally opt for canned pumpkin puree. This one has been my go-to brand for years.

    Table of Contents show
    1 Ingredients
    2 How To Make Pumpkin Bars
    3 Recipe Notes
    4 If You Like This recipe, Try These!
    5 Pumpkin Bars

    Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make the Yummiest Pumpkin Bars

    Dry Ingredients

    • 2 cups all purpose FLOUR
    • 2 cups granulated SUGAR
    • 1 tablespoon GROUND CINNAMON
    • 1 teaspoon SALT
    • 2 teaspoon BAKING POWDER
    • 1 teaspoon BAKING SODA
    • ½ teaspoon GROUND NUTMEG
    • ½ teaspoon GROUND CLOVES

    Wet Ingredients

    • 15 ounce can PUMPKIN PUREE
    • 4 large EGGS
    • ¾ cup VEGETABLE OIL
    • 1 cup dried CHERRIES
    • 1 teaspoon VANILLA EXTRACT

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 8 ounces CREAM CHEESE
    • 1 cup POWDERED SUGAR
    • ½ cup BUTTER, unsalted, room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon LEMON ZEST

    How To Make Pumpkin Bars

    While at first glance this recipe seems to have quite a few ingredients, it's pretty much everything we all have in our pantries and fridges. And it's super straightforward to make. You'll have it ready in the oven in less than 15 minutes.

    PREP

    • Preheat the oven to 350º degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking sheet.
    • Take 1 tablespoon of flour and dust the dried cherries. Shake off any excess flour.

    Making The Frosting

    Step 3 and Step 4: Combine butter, cream cheese, lemon zest, and powdered sugar and mix until creamy
    1. Combine softened butter, softened cream cheese, lemon zest, and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
    2. Use an electric mixer and and beat powdered sugar, cream cheese, and butter on medium speed. Increase speed and beat until the frosting is thick and creamy. Set aside
    Taking a slice of freshly baked pumpkin bars from a baking sheet
    📌 Click To Save This Pumpkin Bar Recipe

    Recipe Notes

    Let's talk cream cheese frosting! Whenever I make this recipe I halve the amount of frosting because some people in our family like the pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting and others just prefer it without frosting.

    I'm in the ladder group. While I love a good cream cheese frosting, for this recipe I think the flavors unfold even more if you skip it, but you can't go wrong. Either way, it's delicious.

    But if you can find any or don't have them in your pantry try making this dessert with raisins or cranberries! You can even toss a few pecan or walnuts in for an extra bit of crunch.

    a slice of freshly baked pumpkin sheet cake on a white plate

    Dried Cherries

    If you've been following the blog for a while you know I love cherries in desserts.

    It might be my German upbringing, but we had so many desserts with cherries such as the German Cherry Crumble or the Cherry Pound Cake. Although for these recipes I used fresh cherries.

    But in for this pumpkin dessert I used dried cherries. I think the sweet and tart flavors of the cherries go exceedingly well with the other flavors in this recipe. B

    Decorate!

    Are you ready for Halloween? Try adding some of these sprinkles on top of the cream cheese frosting.

    If You Like This recipe, Try These!

    • Streuselkuchen - German Crumb Cake
    • German Cheesecake - traditional German style cheesecake
    • White Chocolate Cranberry Bars - perfect as an anytime sweet treat!
    • Bread Pudding - baked in a delicious custard and topped with a gooey caramel sauce!
    • Banana Nut Bread - incredibly moist banana bread
    a forkful of a piece of freshly baked pumpkin bars

    Pumpkin Bars

    These super moist pumpkin bars taste like cake! Topped with a delicious classic cream cheese frosting. Fall perfection.
    Pin Comment Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 24
    Author: Maike

    Ingredients

    • baking spray

    Dry Ingredients

    • 2 cups flour all purpose
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Spices

    • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ½ teaspoon ground cloves

    Wet Ingredients

    • 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
    • 4 large eggs
    • ¾ cup vegetable oil
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Filling

    • 1 cup dried cherries

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 8 ounces cream cheese
    • ½ cup butter unsalted, room temperature
    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    Prevent your phone from going dark

    Instructions

    Prep

    • Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking sheet with baking spay. Set aside.
    • Take 1 tablespoon of flour. Sprinkle flour over the dried cherries and shake off any excess. (This will prevent the cherries from clustering on the bottom.) Set aside.

    Pumpkin Batter

    • Combine dry ingredients, spices, and wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until well blended. Fold in the flour-dusted dried cherries.
    • Pour the batter into the pre-greased baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Use a wooden toothpick to check for doneness. Cool in pan.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • Blend softened cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy.
    • Once the cake has cooled spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting. Slice into 24 rectangles (or 48 if you like to have bite-sized pumpkin bars). Serve and enjoy,
    PRINT RECIPE
    Nutrition
    Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 476IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
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    December 09, 2021

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    Hi, friends. My name is Maike. Nice to meet you. I am the blogger behind the Cheerful Cook. A Comfort Food blog where we celebrate easy German American recipes all year long
    About the AuthorMaike
    Hi There, I’m Maike! A German girl turned American sharing hundreds of easy, homemade comfort food recipes perfect for everyday cooking.
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    Hi, friends. My name is Maike. Nice to meet you. I am the blogger behind the Cheerful Cook. A Comfort Food blog where we celebrate easy German American recipes all year long

    Hi there, I’m Maike!

    A German girl turned American who loves to share my favorite comfort food recipes. Browse through hundreds of easy, homemade recipes perfect for everyday cooking. LEARN MORE… 

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