Sheet Pan Pumpkin Bars

These moist and flavorful sheet pan pumpkin bars topped with cream cheese frosting are the perfect fall dessert! Soft, spiced, and topped with a luscious layer of frosting, these pumpkin bars are a must-try recipe for pumpkin lovers.

Sheet Pan Pumpkin Bars Recipe

This recipe is for my pumpkin spice lovers out there. You know who you are. The ones who summon on fall in the middle of August when it’s still 90+ degrees F outside. These pumpkin bars are one of the first fall desserts that I start baking when the weather starts to change. They’re easy, delicious, and always, always a crowd favorite.

Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are a classic fall favorite that combines rich pumpkin flavor with a hint of warm spices and a perfectly soft texture. The smooth, rich cream cheese frosting adds just the right balance of sweetness, making every bite irresistible.

The Cowboys’ Rating: 10/10

Every time I make a new recipe, I have my family rate the recipe out of 10. By the time, these recipes make the blog, they’ve been tried and tested by some of my hardest tiny critics!

What Ingredients are in Pumpkin Bars?

• Pumpkin Puree – You will use 15oz. of pure pumpkin puree for this recipe.
• Oil – I always use canola oil, but you could also use vegetable oil.
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Flour – All-purpose flour is what I use for this recipe. You could also substitute Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour to make this recipe gluten free.
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Salt

Cream cheese frosting

• Cream Cheese – I use the full fat cream cheese. We’re not going for diet food here friends.
• Powdered Sugar
• Butter
• Vanilla

Tools You’ll Need

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Mixing Bowl
• Hand Mixer
• Spatula
• Large Baking Sheet Pan (13″x18″)

How to Make Sheet Pan Pumpkin Bars

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lighty grease a baking sheet pan (13″x18″).
3. In a mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients and mix well.
4. Add in dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
5. Pour pumpkin mixture into greased baking sheet and spread evenly.
6. Transfer to oven and bake for 25-28 minutes until the top of the pumpkin bars are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
8. In a separate mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese and butter. Beat together until creamy and lump free.
9. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low at first, then increase the speed and beat until light and fluffy.
10. Scrape the sides and add in vanilla and whip for an additional 1-2 minutes to achieve that extra silky texture.
11. When pumpkin bars have cooled completely, spread cream cheese frosting evenly over top.
12. Serve warm, or refrigerate for an hour to let frosting set before enjoying chilled.
13. Enjoy!

Make Ahead Directions and Storage

As previously stated, you can enjoy this warm or cold. It’s just personal preference. Whether you want to eat this cold or warm, I do still recommend that you cover these pumpkin bars and store them in the fridge. These will store in the fridge for up to a week.

This is a recipe I love to make for parties and get togethers. You can completely assemble these up to a day ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator.