Do I have to have a mixer to make these?

No, but mixing by hand can be challenging! For the batter, you want to make sure the butter and sugar are fully combined (called creaming) , creating air pockets needed for a light airy texture. Without thorough mixing, the bars may turn out denser and less fluffy. For the frosting, if the butter and cream cheese aren't fully combined, it may end up with lumps, making it less smooth and creamy.

Can pumpkin bars be frozen?

Yes! We recommend freezing them unfrosted for best results. To freeze, wrap unfrosted pumpkin bars tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready serve, simply thaw, frost, and enjoy!

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes. For best texture and flavor, store unfrosted bars in an airtight container on the counter if serving within 2-3 days, and frost on the day you plan to serve them. You can also refrigerate frosted bars for up to 5 days. To prepare up to 3 months in advance, wrap unfrosted bars tightly and freeze. Simply thaw and then frost when ready to serve.

What can I use instead of pumpkin spice?

We use pumpkin spice as a handy shortcut to avoid measuring multiple spices. However, you can easily substitute it with 2 Tablespoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cloves and nutmeg.

Pumpkin Bars - Appetizer Bliss

Description

These pumpkin bars are the ultimate fall treat! Packed with warm pumpkin spice flavors and topped with rich cream cheese frosting, each bite is as delicious as it is easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale

FOR THE PUMPKIN BARS

1 cup butter, softened
350 grams (1 ¾ cups) sugar
3 eggs
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
270 grams (2 1/4 cups) flour
1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder
2 teaspoons (11 grams) baking soda
3 Tablespoons (12 grams) pumpkin spice
½ teaspoon (2 grams) salt

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
416 grams (4 cups) powdered sugar (you may use a little more or a little less)

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Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

Heat oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour a half-size baking sheet.
In a large bowl (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) cream the butter and sugar together until completely combined.
Add pumpkin puree and eggs and mix until combined. NOTE: it's okay if the batter has bits of creamed sugar in the pumpkin mix, it'll smooth out when the other dry ingredients are added.
Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt to the pumpkin mixture and mix just until combined and no lumps remain.
Scoop spoonfuls of batter onto your prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread the batter to the edges and corners of the pan until you have an even layer.
Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Transfer cake pan to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.

FOR THE FROSTING

Once cake has cooled completely, make the frosting! Use a hand mixer (or a stand mixer) to combine softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Add 1 cup powdered sugar to the bowl and mix on low until all of the sugar is combined with the cream cheese-butter mixture. Repeat until all of the powdered sugar is combined.
Scoop spoonfuls of frosting onto cooled pumpkin surface and spread to the edges with an offset spatula.

CUTTING INTO BARS

Cut across the short side into 5 equal strips.
Cut across the long side into 7 equal strips to yield 35 squares, each approximately 2 x 2 inch.
For smaller pieces, cut each square in half for 2 x 1 inch rectangles, or slice diagonally for triangles, yielding 70 bars.

Notes

Pumpkin puree. Use canned pumpkin puree labeled pure pumpkin, solid packed, or 100% pumpkin. You can also roast your own pumpkin (extra credit!). Avoid pumpkin pie mix or mixes with added ingredients.

Spices. Use pumpkin spice (sometimes called pumpkin pie spice) or use the individual spices: 2 Tablespoons cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon allspice, and ½ teaspoon each of ground cloves and nutmeg.

Additions. Add a handful of toasted pecans or walnuts or chocolate chips to the batter before baking. Sprinkle toasted pecans or walnuts on top of the frosting.

Freezing the bars. Wrap UNFROSTED bars tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, frost, cut, and serve when needed.

If you have a kitchen scale, please use it! Measuring flour by volume (with cups) is notoriously unreliable - for best results, grab your scale and use the gram measurements provided! If you do measure the flour here with cups, be sure to use the scoop and level method for best results.

Cutting bars. Carefully wipe your sharp knife between cuts to avoid frosting clumps and achiee the cleanest slices.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooling Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories: 200
Sugar: 22.3 g
Sodium: 128.9 mg
Fat: 8.8 g
Carbohydrates: 29.4 g
Protein: 1.9 g
Cholesterol: 38.3 mg