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+ servings
Pumpkin bars cut into squares, one with a bite taken.

High Altitude Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

Heather Smoke
These moist and dense pumpkin bars are a cross between pumpkin cake and pie, topped with rich cream cheese frosting.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings16

Equipment

Ingredients
 

Bars

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
  • 1 ¼ cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • tsp ground nutmeg

Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 4 oz unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
  • tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)

Instructions
 

Bars

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Spray a 9-inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugars, pumpkin, milk, egg and vanilla.
  • Separately, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for about 25 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool the bars completely before frosting.

Frosting

  • With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter for 1 minute until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste and salt, and beat for 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
    Note: This is a softer frosting, much softer than what you'd use to frost a layer cake, and isn't meant to hold its shape well. If you like a thicker, sweeter frosting, add more powdered sugar.
  • Spread the frosting onto the cooled bars, cut into squares and serve.

Notes

Leftover pumpkin bars should be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Keyword Bars, Cream Cheese Frosting, Pumpkin, Vanilla Bean
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