Maple Iced Pumpkin Bars are soft, sweet dessert bars loaded with Fall flavors. These easy baked spiced pumpkin bars are covered with a cream cheese maple icing that tastes heavenly!
I love Fall baking and these dessert bars were at the top of my list this year. I adore pumpkin and paired with maple, it’s irresistible! We enjoyed pumpkin bars for dessert, and then my kids loved them as an after school snack the next day.
What are pumpkin bars?
Pumpkin bars are a soft, thin, cake-like dessert that includes pumpkin in the ingredients. We also added pumpkin pie spice for extra flavor and a lovely maple glaze frosting for topping the bars.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Bars
Here’s what you’ll need to make our pumpkin bars:
–all-purpose flour
–baking powder
–pumpkin pie spice
–salt
–butter
–brown sugar
–vanilla extract
–1 egg
–canned pumpkin
How to make Pumpkin Bars
Making Pumpkin bars is easy! First, preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×13 pan (or a quarter bakers sheet).
In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add an egg and beat well. Beat in pumpkin.
Gradually stir in flour mixture.
Spread into the greased pan. Try to make the batter as level as possible.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool completely in pan. Spread Maple Icing on. Let cool to set. Cut into bars. Enjoy!
Ingredients for Maple Glaze
Here’s what you need to make the maple glaze that goes on top of the pumpkin bars:
–cream cheese, softened (half a block)
–butter, softened
–powdered sugar
–maple extract
–milk
How to make Cream Cheese Maple Frosting
To make Maple frosting, you’ll first beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter in a small mixing bowl.
Gradually add in 2 cups powdered sugar.
Beat in maple extract until the icing is smooth. Add in milk if icing is a bit thick. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars. Let cool to set, then slice into squares.
What Pumpkin to use in Pumpkin Bars
Make sure you use pure pack pumpkin (plain pumpkin puree) in this dessert recipe, and NOT pumpkin pie filling. It comes in a can and is labeled “pure pack pumpkin” or something similar.
Pumpkin Bars with a Maple Glaze
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour rounded
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup butter
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
Maple Icing Ingredients
- 4 oz. cream cheese softened (half a block)
- 1 Tbsp butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp milk if needed
- 1 tsp maple extract
Instructions
Pumpkin Bars Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x13 pan (quarter bakers sheet).
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add an egg and beat well. Beat in pumpkin.
- Gradually beat in flour mixture until well combined.
- Spread into the greased pan. Try to make the batter as level as possible.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely in pan. Spread Maple Icing on. Let the icing cool to set. Cut into bars. Enjoy!
Maple Icing Instructions
- Beat softened cream cheese and softened butter in a small mixing bowl.
- Gradually add in 2 cups powdered sugar.
- Beat in maple extract until the icing is fluffy. Add in milk if needed.
Nutrition
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Can you freeze Pumpkin Bars?
Yes, these pumpkin bars freeze really well! Just bake, cool and ice the bars, then let the icing set. Slice into squares and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bars can be made ahead and frozen, then served later on. Just separate layers with parchment paper and try not to squish them!
Here are more recipes with pumpkin to try:
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- Pumpkin Apple Bread
- Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies
- Pumpkin Apple Butter recipe
- Pumpkin Spice Caramels
- Pumpkin Chiffon Cake
- BEST Pumpkin Recipes Ever
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze
- Layered No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Breakfast Cake
Maple Iced Pumpkin Bars are soft, sweet & loaded with Fall flavors. Spiced pumpkin bars are covered with a cream cheese maple icing that tastes heavenly!
Gin says
Hi, can you substitute applesauce for the eggs? And how much? Thanks
Jessica says
You’d use 1/4 cup applesauce in place of each egg in a recipe. 😉
sandra says
The pumpkin bars say 1/2 can pumpkin are there not 2sizes of canned pumpkin