Libby’s Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Grab a steaming cup of coffee and treat yourself to Libby’s Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting! This delicious fall recipe is made with warm spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, and topped with rich cream cheese frosting.

With Thanksgiving time fast approaching, it’s time to restock on seasonal ingredients, like canned pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other warm spices, to make this perfect fall dessert!

Libby’s easy pumpkin bar recipe has a cake-like consistency and is the perfect way to kick off the cozy autumn season!

These tasty bars are perfect for family gatherings, holiday parties, potlucks, or even as a sweet treat for yourself. In fact, I don’t mind if I snack on a bar or two myself!

Ingredient Notes

• Flour | The structure of the pumpkin bars is made of all-purpose flour.
• Baking soda | Use baking soda to help the bars rise as they bake, producing a chewy texture.
• Salt | Just a sprinkle of salt is all you need to highlight and contrast the sweet and warm notes of the bar recipe.
• Spices | Elevate the pumpkin flavor with fall spices, like ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

• Butter | Add creamy unsalted butter, melted, to moisten the batter and add richness to the taste.
• Sugar | Granulated sugar brings a classic sweetness to the recipe, while brown sugar brings a richer molasses taste.
• Egg | Mix in an egg to further promote a fluffy texture.
• Vanilla | A few drops of vanilla extract deepen the creamier notes of the pumpkin bars.
• Pumpkin | And, of course, you need Libby’s canned pumpkin puree for the cozy pumpkin flavor! Be careful not to confuse a can of pure pumpkin puree with a can of pumpkin pie mix — they’re often right next to one another at the store.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Butter | Moisten the frosting ingredients and add a lovely creaminess with softened unsalted butter.
• Cream cheese | Use softened cream cheese for the signature ‘cream cheese’ element of the frosting. Remember that full-fat cream cheese makes for a richer taste than reduced fat.
• Powdered sugar | Soft powdered sugar is perfect for combining with the frosting ingredients, sweetening the creamy spread.
• Vanilla | Enhance the creamy frosting taste with classic vanilla extract.

How to make Easy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Don’t let the ingredient list intimidate you! This easy recipe is absolutely delish!

STEP 1 | Preheat and prep

Let’s get into the recipe by first preheating the oven to 350 degrees and lightly coating a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

STEP 2 | Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

Then, combine the wet ingredients by stirring the melted butter and sugars in another large mixing bowl. 

STEP 3 | Mix in egg and pumpkin

Next, add the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree to the butter and sugar and thoroughly blend with a whisk.

Complete the bar batter by combining the wet and dry ingredients. Pour the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and stir until the two are fully incorporated.

STEP 4 | Add to pan, bake, and cool

Now, spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

After removing the recipe from the oven, cool it to room temperature on a wire rack.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

As the bars cool, cream the softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Then, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until the sugar is incorporated. Increase the speed and beat until the frosting is smooth and has an ideal spreading consistency. 

Gently spread the homemade cream cheese frosting onto the cooled pumpkin bars. Then, slice and serve your delicious pumpkin bars!

Variations and substitutions

• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars. Exchange the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free alternative, like almond flour, and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free to make this recipe safe and enjoyable to those allergic to gluten.
• Add nuts. Sprinkle your favorite nuts, like walnuts, into the batter for a bit of texture in the pumpkin spice bars.
• Chocolate chips. If desired, mix white chocolate chips or classic semi-sweet ones into the batter to bring a chocolatey twist to the recipe.
• Low-fat option. If preferred, use low-fat cream cheese instead of full-fat to reduce the fat content of the frosting.
• Spice flavor. Switch out the various fall spices and still get that signature pumpkin spice flavor with a pumpkin pie spice blend that includes most of the spices the recipe calls for.

Storage and reheating tips

• Store leftover dessert bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days.
• If you want to freeze the bars for more extended storage, wait to make the frosting until just before serving because cream cheese frosting does not freeze well.

Frequently asked questions

Serving suggestions

What’s better than a pumpkin dessert spread to go with your fall holiday parties?

Add more flair and flavor to frosted pumpkin bars by drizzling chocolate sauce or caramel on top of the cream cheese frosting in a lovely striped pattern.

Then, stock the dessert table with my Pumpkin Dip Recipe, perfect for dipping ginger snap cookies and served in an adorable carved-out mini pumpkin bowl!

Top it off with two more sweet fall treats, like homemade Pumpkin Donuts and Maple-Glazed Bacon Muffins that pair beautifully with the other pumpkin desserts.

Behind the recipe: Libby’s Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkins are one of the most prominent symbols of fall. They are stacked at doorways, carved into, sold as plastic or ceramic decorations, on clothing and dishes, and so much more!

Pumpkins are harvested in late summer and early fall, just before the temperatures dramatically drop. While some are sent to stores and sold whole, others are made into delicious seasonal treats, one of the most popular being classic pumpkin pie!

There’s a long history of pumpkin treats in America and worldwide. It’s incredible to see how far it has come — from pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin cookies to pumpkin cheesecakes, and even pumpkin ice cream!