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October 7, 2021 16 Comments

The Best Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting

A cookie sheet of the Best Pumpkin Squares with a few pieces cut out.

 

If I had to pick only one dessert to eat every fall, it would definitely be these pumpkin squares. I have a few amazing pumpkin square recipes on the blog, but this classic recipe is the base of all of them. So, if you are looking for a recipe for The Best Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting, look no further, this is it!

If you haven’t tried them yet, you really need to try the other pumpkin square recipes on my site too. Amazing Pumpkin Squares with Burnt Butter Cinnamon Icing and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars are both fantastic! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. 

More Must-Try Pumpkin Recipes

  • Pumpkin Coffee Cake
  • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
  • The Best Pumpkin Pie
  • The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Pumpkin Pecan Crunch
  • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Pumpkin squares with cream cheese frosting sitting on a blue and white patterned plate. A hand is held above the plate with a pumpkin square with a bite out of the square.Step-by-step pictures for how to make the best pumpkin squares with cream cheese frosting

16-photo collage of step-by-step pictures for making pumpkin squaresSeveral pumpkin squares sitting on a white and blue patterned Polish pottery plate. Frequently Asked Questions about how to make The Best Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting

Can these be made with GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR?

Yes, a good gluten-free flour blend works great in this recipe.

Can I use WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR instead of all-purpose flour?

Yes. It’s actually my favorite way to make them. It gives them just a little more texture and reminds me of one of my favorite treats at The Old Grist Mill Bread Company when I was in college. They are great with all-purpose flour too, but everyone should try them with whole wheat flour at least once.

Six Best Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting on a dark blue and white patterned plate.Can these be made ahead and frozen?

Yes. If I freeze them ahead of time, I prefer to leave the frosting off and frost them just before serving. It’s fine to freeze them with the frosting on, but depending on how you wrap/cover them in the freezer, there is a risk the frosting could pull off. 

If I don’t have nutmeg can I sub something else?

If you don’t have nutmeg, it is okay to leave it out. They will still be delicious!

Can I leave the cream cheese out of the frosting?

If you are allergic or if you hate cream cheese, you can leave it out. I suggest using the frosting recipe on the Amazing Pumpkin Squares with Burnt Butter Cinnamon Icing in place of the cream cheese frosting. It’s so yummy and a great alternative.

Two-Photo Pinterest picture with the text of the title in the middle.

Delicious Breakfast Recipes with Pumpkin

Overnight Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes…Healthy and Deliciously filling!Pumpkin-Oat-Muffins-with-Streusel-ToppingPumpkin Oat Muffins with Streusel ToppingPumpkin Chocolate Chip Waffles {TMH}

4.7 from 3 reviews
The Best Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting
 
Print
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
35 mins
 
Soft and spongy, perfectly flavored pumpkin squares topped with cream cheese frosting. A combination that you will absolutely love and make again and again.
Author: Recipe from Nan (a woman I met 15 years ago at church and can't remember her last name.)
Recipe type: Fall Dessert
Serves: 20-24
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • FROSTING:
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. BARS:
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13"x 18" cookie sheet. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until creamy.
  4. Next, add all dry ingredients and mix well.
  5. Pour into prepared cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Cool completely before frosting.
  7. FROSTING:
  8. Place softened butter and softened cream cheese in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
  9. Use a hand mixer to cream them together.
  10. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.
  11. Spread evenly over completely cooled bars. (See picture for a tip on spreading frosting easier.)
  12. Keep bars refrigerated.
  13. Enjoy!
3.5.3251

Delicious Soups for Cold Days

A bowl of pasta fagioli soup on a plate with two slices of Italian French Bread.Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soupclassic-taco-soupClassic Taco SoupA blue bowl full of Chicken Curry Soup. On the left side of the bowl, there's a spoon sitting on a yellow cloth napkin. In the upper left corner, there's part of a bowl with rolls in it.Chicken Curry and Rice Soup

Pinterest picture with the text of the title of the recipe at the top.

Brownies/Bars, Christmas, Cream Cheese, Desserts, Fall, Holiday, Ingredients, Main Categories, Pumpkin, Recipes, Seasonal, Thanksgiving
pumpkin bar recipes, pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin square recipes, pumpkin squares with cream cheese, The Best Pumpkin Squares, The Best Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting, whole wheat pumpkin bars
16 Comments

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16 Comments

  1. Callie

    October 8, 2021 at 7:12 pm

    #octobergiveaway

    reply to this comment
  2. Sharon

    October 13, 2021 at 9:38 am

    Will try this soon. Sounds delicious.

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      October 26, 2021 at 8:40 am

      They are soooo good, hope you love them!

      reply to this comment
    • Roberta

      August 23, 2022 at 9:47 am

      How do I get the receipt

      reply to this comment
      • Maria

        August 25, 2022 at 2:58 am

        There is a button at the top that says Jump to Recipe, you can click on that or you can scroll down, the recipe is under the write up and step by step pictures.

        reply to this comment
  3. Jackie

    November 25, 2021 at 6:04 pm

    Great and easy recipe. I made this for thanksgiving on a very large jelly roll sheet, that’s all I had around the necessary size, and it was devoured!! Frosting is good and especially appreciated by others for being homemade.

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      December 2, 2021 at 4:43 pm

      Yay! I love hearing this Jackie! So glad you gave them a try!

      reply to this comment
  4. Jen

    September 24, 2022 at 10:15 pm

    Do you know if these can be froze after made?

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      September 29, 2022 at 1:59 pm

      Yes, it can, you just need to be careful of how you cover it so the frosting doesn’t stick and peel off when you unthaw them.

      reply to this comment
  5. Marcianne

    November 1, 2022 at 9:32 pm

    Can this batter be used to bake a two-layer cake?

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      November 2, 2022 at 4:52 am

      Hi, I’ve never tire that, but I think it would work well.

      reply to this comment
  6. Jessica Rodriguez

    August 24, 2023 at 11:32 pm

    It’s not fall without me making these! Of course I refrigerate them because that’s what you told me to do years ago. Definitely makes them more delicious #favorite

    reply to this comment
  7. Julie

    October 14, 2023 at 1:07 pm

    Truly the best pumpkin bars! Made them last year and again this year. Used pumpkin pie mix because it was on sale, worked great but cut sugar way back because the mix is sweetened. Added half the spices for the same reason. Turned out great!

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      October 15, 2023 at 2:41 pm

      Awesome! I love to hear that Julie!

      reply to this comment
  8. Nancy

    November 19, 2023 at 7:32 pm

    These are delicious. Can they be made with gluten free flour all purpose flour?

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      November 20, 2023 at 7:27 am

      Hi Nancy, thank you, Yes, these should work just fine with a good gluten free blend flour.

      reply to this comment

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Welcome friends!

Hi, I'm Maria. A mom of five and a total foodie. My superpower is taking ordinary recipes and making them DELICIOUS. Your family will LOVE these meals! Come cook with me, I promise it will be amazing! Get started here or search my archives below.


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