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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 on top. The recipe uses a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum and finishes with a cinnamon dusting for a classic pumpkin-bar feel.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290
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 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 pumpkin bars
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 15x10 rimmed baking sheet.
  2. Whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
  3. Beat the eggs, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until smooth, then fold in the flour mixture.
  4. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 25-28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Cool the bars completely before frosting.
Make and frost
  1. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then add powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and milk.
  2. Beat the frosting until very fluffy, then spread it over the cooled bars.
  3. Dust the top with cinnamon and refrigerate for 30 minutes before cutting.

Notes

For clean slices, cool the bars completely and chill the frosted bars for the full 30 minutes before cutting. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze frosted bars only if wrapped airtight and frozen up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduce powdered sugar slightly while keeping the frosting spreadable.