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a sheet pan with gluten free pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting arranged on a pan
Joanna

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

5 from 1 vote
These Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting are moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with a creamy, tangy frosting, making them an irresistible fall dessert. See recipe notes for dairy-free options.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 36
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 216

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 cup Oil 185 grams (Neutral flavored like sunflower oil or vegetable oil.)
  • 1 15 ounce can Pumpkin Puree not Pumpkin Pie Filling
  • 2 cups Sugar 445 grams
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 5 grams
  • 2 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend 290 grams (I prefer King Arthur's Measure for Measure blend.)
  • 2 teaspoon Baking Powder 8 grams
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda 7 grams
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt 4 grams
  • 2 teaspoon Cinnamon 7 grams
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg 1 gram (optional, see notes in recipe card.)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger Powder 1 gram (optional, see notes.)
Ingredients for the Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 ounces Cream Cheese 1 block, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Butter 1 stick, softened to room temperature
  • 3 cups Powdered Sugar 350 grams
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 3 grams
  • 1 Tablespoon Milk 12 grams

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, add the eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and sugar. Set aside.4 Eggs 1 cup Oil 1 15 ounce can Pumpkin Puree 2 cups Sugar 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend*, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. (As well as optional nutmeg, and ginger or pumpkin pie blend.) 2 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend 2 teaspoon Baking Powder 1 teaspoon Baking Soda 1/2 teaspoon Salt 2 teaspoon Cinnamon Optional 1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger Powder
  4. Combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in the large mixing bowl.
  5. Mix well for 3 minutes on medium speed.
  6. Line 2 9 x13 baking sheets with parchment paper (or grease them.)
  7. Divide the batter in half and spread half of the batter over each parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  8. Make sure to spread it out evenly over the entire baking sheet so it will bake evenly.
  9. Bake in a preheated oven of 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until baked.
  10. Cool the pans of pumpkin bars on cooling racks, until they are at room temperature.
  11. Frost with the following cream cheese frosting recipe or make it a dairy free version using the recipes in the notes.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In a large bowl, place the room temperature cream cheese and butter as well as the vanilla extract. 8 ounces Cream Cheese 1/2 cup Butter 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  2. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter till smooth.
  3. Add 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar at a time to the large bowl, mixing well between each addition. 3 cups Powdered Sugar
  4. Use the tablespoon of milk a little bit at a time to achieve a smooth consistency and your desired thickness of cream cheese frosting. 1 Tablespoon Milk
  5. Divide the frosting in half and frost the cooled Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 44mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 2152IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg

Notes

My preferred gluten free flour blend that I use as an all purpose gluten free flour mix is King Arthur's Measure for Measure mix. It already has xantham gum included.
If your homemade gluten-free flour blend doesn’t include xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum for every 2 cups of gluten-free flour, such as King Arthur’s Measure for Measure. This helps bind the ingredients and gives your baked goods better structure and texture.
For a classic pumpkin spice flavor, you can include the optional use of ground nutmeg and ground ginger powder along with cinnamon, or simply substitute with 3 teaspoons (15 grams) of a pumpkin pie spice blend for convenience.
For Dairy-Free frosting options try out my Dairy Free Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe or make a simple and fast Dairy Free Vanilla Glaze

Storage

Store the gluten-free pumpkin bars in an airtight container, or wrap the baking pan tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, you can freeze the bars before frosting them (either whole or sliced) for up to 3 months; just thaw in the refrigerator overnight before frosting and serving.

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