Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Bars

Name: Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 eggs, room temperature; 1 2/3 cup sugar; 1 cup vegetable oil; 15 oz. can pumpkin; 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted; 2 tsp. baking powder; 2 tsp. cinnamon; 1 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. baking soda; 8 oz. package cream cheese; 1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature; 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 1 tsp. vanilla extract

BySandra Flegg Updated onSeptember 9, 2026

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These Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Bars are soft, moist and perfectly spiced with a rich cream cheese frosting on top. This easy 9×13 pumpkin dessert is a fall favorite that’s perfect for Thanksgiving, potlucks, parties and family gatherings.

Close up image of pumpkin bars on white plate.

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Try my apple pie bars with streusel topping and pumpkin pecan dump cake next!

Why You’ll Love this Fall Dessert

Perfect for fall baking: Pumpkin and warm spices make these soft, moist bars a must-make when pumpkin season arrives.
Made for sharing: Baked in a 9×13 pan, they’re easy to slice and serve for fall potlucks, parties, Thanksgiving and family gatherings.
Cream cheese frosting: The rich, creamy frosting is the perfect finishing touch for the lightly spiced pumpkin bars.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for Pumpkin Bar Recipe in small bowls with text overlay on each ingredient.

4 eggs, room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Step By Step Instructions

Pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugar in mixing bowl of stand mixer with spatula.

STEP ONE – Preheat oven to 350°F.

STEP TWO – Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

I used my stand mixer for these pumpkin bars. You can also use a hand-held electric mixer, or even mix it by hand.

STEP THREE – Combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin and beat it until light and fluffy. (about a minute and a half)

STEP FOUR – In a separate mixing bowl, stir together all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

dry ingredients are added to wet ingredients in stand mixer bowl.

STEP FIVE – Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture all at once. Mix on low speed until combined.

Pumpkin bar batter is spread into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

STEP SIX – Spread the batter into prepared 9×13 inch baking pan.

STEP SEVEN – Bake in 350°F oven for 30 minutes.

Test with cake tester or toothpick to ensure that the bars are fully cooked in the middle of the baking dish. They may need an extra 5 minutes of baking time.

STEP EIGHT – Let cool completely before frosting. If you don’t cool completely and frost the bars while they’re still too warm, the icing will be runny and not set properly.

Cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar in bowl from stand mixer with whisk attachment.

STEP NINE – For the icing: I like to use the whisk attachment on my stand mixer or you can use the regular beaters on an electric hand mixer. You can also do it by hand if you don’t have a mixer.

STEP TEN – Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until it’s smooth.

STEP ELEVEN – Gradually add in the powdered sugar and mix at low speed until combined.

STEP TWELVE – Add vanilla and give it a final mix on medium speed until it’s nice and creamy and the right spreadable consistency.

Next, you have two options. You can either spread the icing on the bars, then cut into bars or pipe the icing using a 1M (or any large star piping tip) onto the tops of the bars.

If you like, give them a little dusting of cinnamon to make them even prettier!