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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting that bake up tender and golden-orange, then get a thick, fluffy swirl of frosting. The bars bake until a toothpick tests clean and finish with a quick cinnamon dusting and a short chill for clean slices.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chill 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bars
  • 2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1.67 cup granulated sugar 1-2/3 cups
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp milk

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the gluten-free pumpkin bars
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 15x10 rimmed baking sheet, making sure the corners are coated for easy release.
  2. Whisk together the gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined and no dry streaks remain.
  3. Beat the eggs, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until smooth, then fold in the flour mixture just until no dry pockets appear.
  4. Spread the batter evenly into the greased sheet pan so the surface is level.
  5. Bake at 350F for 25-28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean with no wet batter clinging to it.
  6. Cool the bars completely in the pan before frosting so the frosting stays thick and doesn’t melt.
Make frosting and finish
  1. Beat cream cheese and unsalted butter until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed to remove lumps.
  2. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and milk, then beat until fully incorporated.
  3. Beat the frosting until very fluffy for a thicker, spreadable texture.
  4. Spread frosting over the cooled bars and dust the top with cinnamon for a finished look.
  5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before cutting so the bars slice cleanly through the frosting.

Notes

For best texture, cool the bars fully before frosting and chill after spreading; warm bars can cause frosting to slip. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days (freezing is yes—freeze cut bars in a single layer, then wrap tightly for up to 2 months). For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduce milk by 1–2 tsp to keep the frosting thick enough to spread.