The Best Pumpkin Ginger Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

It’s fall ya’ll! This is my favorite season and I love to bake. What better way to kick off the start of fall than with a yummy pumpkin recipe. Pumpkin Ginger Bars are an easy dessert to “wow” a crowd at Thanksgiving. Dress up these bars by adding candy corn or candy pumpkins on top of each bar. 

Let’s talk about the frosting. Don’t skimp on the frosting. The cream cheese frosting is so creamy and delicious. Make sure you lick the bowl after frosting your bars 🙂 I may have a kiddo who licks the frosting off her bar first before eating the pumpkin bar, it’s that good!

I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now and the original recipe is from good old Betty Crocker. Over time I have changed up a few of the ingredients to make the bars a tad healthier. (The frosting can’t be messed with, it’s too delicious!) The pumpkin bar ingredients can be mixed using one large bowl. 

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Bar Ingredients 

Dry

1 cup Bobs Red Mill White Flour

1 cup Bobs Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

Wet

1 cup 100% pure maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 can (15oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) 

2 eggs

Frosting Ingredients 

3oz cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp butter, softened 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups powdered sugar

1-2 Tbsp milk

Directions

Heat oven to 350ºF. 

Lightly grease a jelly roll pan (10½ by 15½ inches) with coconut oil. I like to use my Pampered Chef Large Bar Pan 

In a large bowl add all wet bar ingredients and then mix with electric mixer.

Next add in all dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until moist. Beat on medium speed for 2 additional minutes.

Spread evenly onto pan.

Bake for 25 minutes. Insert toothpick into center and check if toothpick comes out clean. If you see gooey batter on your toothpick bake an additional 3-5 minutes. 

Cool completely (about an hour).

In a small bowl beat cream cheese and butter on low speed until blended. 

Beat in vanilla. 

Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time and 1-2 Tbsp of milk until frosting is creamy and spreadable. 

Cut bars into 8 rows by 6 rows. (I made my bars larger so I did 6 rows by 4 rows) 

Frost cooled bars. 

Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set. 

Remove bars from fridge. Using a small spatula, carefully lift bars onto desired serving tray or plate. 

Add candy corn or candy pumpkin if desired.

Store in refrigerator. 

Ready to make your own Pumpkin Ginger Bars? Just click “Print” on the recipe below or pin for later!