I should have added “To Die For” to the title of this blog post, because seriously these pumpkin bars are that good. They are moist and soft with a maple cream cheese frosting that puts them over the top. I think I like these even a little more than my pumpkin cream cheese muffins.
These pumpkin bars are exactly what I envision when I close my eyes and think of Fall. Add to that picture a cozy blanket and a cup of chai tea and this girl’s in paradise. I am so ready to say goodbye to the 90 degree temps, hopefully sometime this month. I’ll be doing a whole lot more fall baking when it does.
This maple cream cheese frosting is AMAZING!
I’m kind of excited about sharing this with you, because these are the first pictures taken with my new camera. I still have a lot of settings, bells and whistles to figure out, but am very happy with these initial shots. What do you think?
My Mom, Laura, suggested we add some sugared pecans to the tops of the pumpkin bars and it was totally the right call. I love that bit of crunch that they add. This recipe is perfect for a big crowd. When baked in a large jelly roll size pan, you can easily get 24 large bars. It’s a rather rich dessert, so you could get away with cutting smaller pieces and doubling that number.
Related Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latte Mug Cake
I was feeling a bit under the weather last week, and must say that making these pumpkin bars with maple cream cheese frosting has certainly brightened my mood. How could they not?
The frosting has just a hint of the maple flavor. I was afraid to put too much maple syrup into the frosting, lest ruin the consistency. If you’re looking for a stronger maple flavor, I recommend adding a little maple extract in addition to the maple syrup. Not too much though.
Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)
2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp dried ginger
1/2 nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together together oil, eggs, sugar and pumpkin.
Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
Pour mixture into a greased 12 x 17 jelly roll pan.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add maple syrup, vanilla, and powdered sugar; continue beating until well combined and smooth.
Spread frosting evenly over pumpkin bars, and cut into squares.
Optionally, top with candied pecans.
Candied Pecans: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 12 inch skillet. Add 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, stir and cook over medium heat until it begins to bubble and sugar is dissolved. Add pecans, toss and stir for about two minutes. Spread pecans on a parchment lined cookie sheet in a single layer, bake at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool completely.
Inspired by a recipe found at Farm Flavor.
Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 2 cup sugar
- 1 cup oil
- 1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)
- 2 cup flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp dried ginger
- 1/2 nutmeg
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together together oil, eggs, sugar and pumpkin.
Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
Pour mixture into a greased 12 x 17 jelly roll pan.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add maple syrup, vanilla, and powdered sugar; continue beating until well combined and smooth.
Spread frosting evenly over pumpkin bars, and cut into squares.
Optionally, top with candied pecans.
Candied Pecans: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 12 inch skillet. Add 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, stir and cook over medium heat until it begins to bubble and sugar is dissolved. Add pecans, toss and stir for about two minutes. Spread pecans on a parchment lined cookie sheet in a single layer, bake at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool completely.
Geez that looks amazing…bring on the pumpkin.
These look and sound so delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
Wow! You had me at the name of these. I love the idea that the frosting has a little maple to it. I think it would make a great addition to the cream cheese frosting. Thank for the recipe.
These Pumpkin Bars with maple cream cheese frosting looks so delicious. What a great Fall dessert to have and I am going to make these soon. Thanks for the recipe!!
These sound great! Good timing too, with fall just officially starting (at least in my book!). Halloween and all sorts of pumpkin food will be here before we know it!
To die for! Looks SOOOOO good! 😀
Yummy! Nothing says fall to me like pumpkin treats!
Now if that isn’t Fall on a plate I don’t know what is. I’ll be they are moist too. Yum!
This pumpkin Bars Maple Cream are yummy!
These look delicious! The flavor combination of maple with pumpkin makes me crave colorful leaves and cozy sweaters! Pumpkin needs to be a year round flavor!
These look amazing and what a great recipe for the approaching season.
This looks great. I would probably gobble up the cream cheese frosting before I could ice the bars.
i saw this on your facebook and came here to see the recipe. i think this would be perfect for thanksgiving dinner!
YUM! Just in time for the start of fall too! Pumpkin is my favorite! Awesome treat the whole family will love. Looks awesome!
Yum! I love that it is pumpkin season again already!
These look sinfully delicious! I am seriously wanting pumpkin bars now.
Now this looks amazing! I would love to make a whole batch for myself!
I’ll have to save this. I think my oldest son would loooooove these. Thanks!
I would love to try this recipe without the cream cheese because I don’t like cream cheese. Thanks for sharing.
Yum, yum, yum! Two of my favorite foods – pumpkin and cream cheese in one easy recipe. Thanks for sharing.
This is the Perfect Dessert for Autumn and Who Doesn’t Love Cream Cheese? I Love Cream Cheese Frosting and I Love Pumpkin so I Know I Would Devour this! Great Recipe! Have a Blessed Day! Jana
Man oh man do they sound good, Angela! I pinned them and shall drool over them until I make some for myself!
This looks delicious.
That looks so good! It’s everything I’m looking for in a dessert. Adding a cherry on top would make it more pleasant.
Those look delish! Just in time for fall. I’m so happy to get cooking with Pumpkin again.
This sounds good! I’m seeing so many great pumpkin recipes this week.
One good thing about summer ending is that pumpkin season is coming! These look delicious!
Wow, they look so good! They look a lot like carrot cake so the pumpkin would make for a nice surprise during the holidays!
I so love pumpkin and those look ah-mazing!
Oh my gosh, these look amazing!
Those look so good. Love that you added maple to the frosting.
While I love the flavor of pumpkin anything…I’m betting I’d be having a spoon in that frosting and just be eating it out of the bowl! Those are perfect for fall.
You had me at creamcheese! This looks amazing!
Those look awesome! Put them on my list of things to try this month. Thanks!
omg! now i am craving for this again! i love pumpkin bars!
I love pumpkin anything & these sound delish! Pinning so I can make them soon. 🙂
These look so so good! I love mostly all pumpkin recipes and will have to make this one for sure. Thanks so much!
Oh wow I LOVE anything pumpkin, I need to make these asap! So glad it’s pumpkin season soon 🙂
Oh my gosh…you’re killing me! I love pumpkin bars and use a regular cream cheese frosting but I so have to try your maple frosting!
Pumpkin season is upon us! looks wonderful!
They look delicious! Bring on the pumpkin flavors.
I love pumpkin season and all the wonderful dishes we can make with it. Your bars look both divine and satisfying.
This sure does look amazing!
mouth watering dish …. why cant I break my laptop’s screen and taste this pumpkin bar with maple cream frosting 🙁
It looks great and I bet it tastes amazing, too!
Looks really good!
That looks delicious in every sense of the word!
I pinned this recipe to try later. There’s something about cooler weather and pumpkin. They just go together, and I’m always looking for new ways to cook with it. Thanks!
Wow, these pumpkin bars look so amazing. I love pumpkin everything so this will be a perfect treat to make.
I’m so thrilled fall is upon us. Pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors. I can’t wait to try these Pumpkin Bars.
You had me at pumpkin bars but then you added a blanket and a cup of chai tea. Oh I am ready. Thank you for sharing at Share It One More Time. Cathy
These pumpkin bars look so tempting! Perfect for the coming season.
visiting from share it Sunday.
Those look delicious. I’ve been craving pumpkin lately. I think these would do just the trick.
wow those look so good my mouth is watering.perfect for the fall season.thanks for the recipe
Oh my goodness……….. these look amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially with the candied pecans on top!!!! YUM!!!!
I love anything with pumpkin. These sound delicious and it’s just about that time of year.
Yum! I’m looking for more pumpkin recipes and must try this, of course, my favorite is cream cheese icing! Thanks for sharing, pinning! Visiting from Lou Lou Girls. 🙂
Looks delicious! I am going to try this recipe. Thanks!
Wow these look good! Pumpkin and maple are an awesome combination!
I found you on You’re Gonna Love It blog hop!
This looks so yum, I pinned it and want to bake this treat. I came from the Wonderful Creative Wednesdays link party. So glad I found your blog.
nothing says autumn like pumpkin goodness and this is fantastic! I invite you to share at my Thursday Favorite Things blog hop ( you can link up starting tonight at 8 pm MST) Hugs!
Pumpkin and cream cheese are always a hit in my book! Love it. Thanks!
Oh, my goodness! These sound amazing! I love the addition of the maple syrup in the frosting! I’d be thrilled if you shared this at my Creative Ways Link Party that just went live tonight. Hope to see you there!
Blessings,
Nici
Very indulging and totally delicious, especially the frosting! Thanks for coming and linking up at The Weekend Social. All posts get pinned in our pinterest board! Please be sure to come back next week starting Thursdays at 9PM EST on culinaryflavors.gr ! I hope to see you there!
These look heavenly. I love the idea of adding a touch of maple to the frosting and bet it pairs perfectly with pumpkin.
Thanks for coming and linking up at #The Weekend Social. Please be sure to come back next week starting Thursdays at 9PM EST on KitchenDreaming.com ! I hope to see you there!
my husband loves pumpkin rolls. I am going to try this and see if he like them too!
These look fantastic! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Oh my, yes please! Pinning to make for dessert on Thanksgiving. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
P.S. Your photography is beautiful!
I love anything with pumpkin! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
These look great! The maple cream cheese frosting sounds amazing and perfect for the fall.
“To Die For” is right, that SHOULD have been the title of this post. Perfect for this time of year, these are going on my to-do (and to-devour!) list right now! Woo-hoo!
These bars look amazing! I love the candied pecans as the final touch.
These bars look and sound delicious. My mouth waters just looking at them. I can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks!
What a perfect recipe! I love the idea of maple in the frosting and the sugared pecan on top – wow!
This pumpkin Bars Maple Cream are yummy! I love them….. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
The maple cream cheese frosting sounds amazing and pumpkin Bars Maple Cream are yummy
wow, look ate that texture, mouth watering.. i should ask my wife to make a one for me or i will buy whatever it may cost..look at that first picture.. yummy
This looks so good! Every Thanksgiving I plan to make a pumpkin roll and run out of time so it never gets done. This looks just as delicious and a little less labor intensive. Thanks for the recipe!
I have got to make these and soon they sounds so good and one the whole family will enjoy.
Oh yum!!!! My mouth is watering for these!!
Im so excited to try these! I love everything pumpkin.
These look amazing! I wish I would have known about them for Thanksgiving!!
These look so delicious! I can’t wait to try them and taste these flavor combinations. Thank you for sharing!
These sound amazing. I am going to try some new pumpkin recipes and this will be my first one. yum.
These bars looks so yummy! I would love to bake these with my nieces!
These look absolutely delicious. I love everything pumpkin.
These look and sound amazing. I love pumpkin baked goods.
I am a huge fan of maple and I love the Fall flavor of pumpkin, so this is the perfect combination! I will definitely be adding this to our Thanksgiving dessert table!
I don’t usually like pumpkin but I might try it again someday.
I’m not big on pumpkin, but that mape cream cheese frosting sounds so good. It could work on so many cakes, bars, etc.
Great way to use pumpkin. Like the maple frosting.