This is a Libby’s pumpkin bars recipe with homemade melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese frosting that is a perfect fall favorite and holiday treat!
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This recipe makes a large batch of pumpkin bars. A half sheet, to be exact.
Oh but trust me, they will get eaten!
I’ve found making this one batch is perfect for sharing during the holidays and also taking to our holiday potluck at work. That way, I don’t have to make a double batch.
I used to work in a local bakery and these turn out even better than theirs!
Want more fall desserts? Check out these fun fall cupcakes!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Bars
- A Can of Libby’s Pumpkin Puree
- All-Purpose Flour
- White Sugar
- Large Eggs
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Ground Cinnamon
- Salt
- Butter
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese
- Confectioners Sugar (Icing Sugar)
- Butter
- Pure Vanilla Extract
Optional Toppings
- Sprinkles of Cinnamon
- Fall Colored Sprinkles
- Mini Pumpkin Candies
What size pan is needed for pumpkin bars?
I baked my pumpkin bars in a 12″ x 17″ half sheet baking pan which I cut into 4 x 8 rows to yield 32 bars.
You can also get a 10″ x 15″ jelly roll pan that will give a slightly taller pumpkin bar and yield 28 depending on how large you like your pieces to be.
The Cream Cheese Frosting
My family and I love cream cheese frosting so I add more cream cheese than the typical cream cheese frosting recipe you’ll find out there.
If you’re like us, you should try this melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese frosting! I do the same when I’m making red velvet cupcakes.
Try these other tasty fall favorites!
- Apple Butter Cupcakes
- Banana Nut Bread
- Iced Pumpkin Bread
- Minny’s Chocolate Pie
- Pecan Tassies
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Scotcheroos
- The Best Red Velvet Cupcakes
Enjoy!
Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars
- 15 ounce Can of Libby's Pumpkin Puree, or similar brand
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ cups White Sugar
- 1 cup Butter, softened
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Cream Cheese Frosting – 10/18/22 Edited to cut the frosting recipe in half because it made so much. Original recipe is linked in the notes below.
- 5 cups Confectioners' Sugar
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
- ¼ cup Butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Topping Ideas
- Sprinkles of Cinnamon
- Fall Colored Sprinkles
- Mini Pumpkin Candies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12"x17" half sheet pan with parchment paper. Spray sides of pan with cooking spray. This size gives a slightly shorter bar that is about ¾" thick after baking, like I have in the photos above.Note: You can also use a 10"x15" jelly roll pan for a slightly taller bar.
- Cream together butter and white sugar in an electric mixer or large mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix well.
- Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Slowly add dry ingredients to mixer. Blend pumpkin puree into batter.
- Pour batter into prepared jelly roll pan. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the bars bake, make the cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, blend together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract.
- Slowly begin adding powdered sugar and blend well. Slowly begin adding powdered sugar and blend well. If too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until desired consistency. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Spread cream cheese frosting over cooled bars evenly. Slice before serving. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days or freeze for up to 3 months for best quality.
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Thank you for delicious recipe. I can’t wait to try. What do you use to cut to make it look so neat? It looks really unpleasing to the eye after being cut so messy and I want it to look pretty for guests. (That’s every baked goods I cut with frosting lol especially my brownies) Please share tips asap!
Hi Reba,
To cut the pumpkin bars, I use a knife with a thin blade so it does not tear up the bars. Also, if you notice a lot of frosting sticking to the knife, I wipe it clean after each cut to avoid clumping.
When I cut them I always start down the middle of the long edge and then cut each of those halves in half, and keep going until I get the size I need.
Tiffany
Hi! Would I be able to freeze these? Do you think they’ll be okay?
Hi Katlyn,
I have frozen these many times over the years and they do great in the freezer. I would store them in an airtight container for 3-6 months.
Tiffany
This was so good I only got 2 pieces while everyone else just kept cutting bigger pieces off.
For the frosting, what is the measurement for powdered sugar? Not familiar with what 2 pounds converts to in cups
Hi Victoria, two pounds of powdered sugar is approximately 7 and a half cups.
-Tiffany
I made your recipe and it was delicious. I tweaked the recipe a bit. Aside from some small changes… I made it again and added ground cloves. Really made the difference!!!
Would this be okay to make as cupcakes??
I have not personally tried making this recipe into cupcakes. They would turn out somewhat dense since they are a bar. However, I do have a pumpkin cupcake recipe with cream cheese frosting if you’d like to try that: https://www.simplyhappenings.com/pumpkin-cupcakes. It makes 24 cupcakes.
Extremely great taste. My family and friends will really enjoy them. Surprisingly; my cookie sheets are really jelly pans! It took 22 minutes to bake and the preparation was simple. Would definitely make it again. Love the cream cheese topping!
Can you use a 9×13 pan?
I have never tried this recipe in a 9×13 pan, only in 10″x15″ and 12″x17″.
A smaller pan could be doable. If you’re using a 9×13 baking sheet, I would not add all of the batter so that there’s room for them to rise as they bake, and I would lessen the cook time.