Vegan Pumpkin Bars

These vegan pumpkin bars are soft, moist, and warmly spiced, with a thick layer of tangy vegan cream cheese frosting and a light dusting of cinnamon on top. They bake in a single 9x13 pan with no eggs or dairy, so they're an easy way to feed a crowd all fall long.

Think of them as a cross between pumpkin bread and sheet cake: tender enough to eat with a fork, but sturdy enough to pack into a lunchbox or carry to a potluck. The batter comes together in two bowls with a whisk, and the frosting takes about five minutes with a mixer.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Pumpkin puree. Use a 15-ounce can of plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Homemade puree works too; just blot it with paper towels if it looks watery so the bars don't turn gummy.
• Pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. A store-bought pumpkin pie spice plus extra cinnamon gives the bars their cozy flavor. No pumpkin pie spice? Use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch each of allspice and cloves.
• Brown sugar and granulated sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture and a caramel note, while granulated sugar keeps the crumb light. Coconut sugar can replace the brown sugar, though the bars will be a little darker and less sweet.
• Apple cider vinegar and baking soda. Instead of eggs, the vinegar reacts with the baking soda to give the bars their lift. Lemon juice or white vinegar works in the same amount.
• Neutral oil. Avocado, canola, or vegetable oil keeps the bars moist for days. Melted refined coconut oil works but firms up in the fridge, so the bars will be denser when cold.
• Vegan cream cheese. Brands vary a lot in texture. We've had the best luck with Miyoko's Creamery vegan cream cheese, which is thick and tangy and holds its shape once whipped with sugar.
• Vegan butter. Stick-style vegan butter makes a firmer frosting than soft tub spreads. Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks are our favorite for baking recipes like this one.
• All-purpose flour. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping, or the bars can turn dry. A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend with xanthan gum is the easiest swap if you need these gluten-free.

Helpful Tips

Don't overmix the batter. Once the dry ingredients go into the pumpkin mixture, stir only until you no longer see streaks of flour. Overworking the batter develops the gluten and leads to tough, rubbery bars. A few small lumps will bake out.

Line the pan with a parchment sling. Leaving a few inches of parchment hanging over the long sides of the 9x13-inch pan lets you lift the whole slab out after it has cooled for 20 minutes. It cools faster on a rack, and cutting neat bars on a board is much easier than cutting in the pan.

Check for doneness early. Ovens vary, so start checking at 28 minutes. The bars are ready when the center springs back when you press it lightly and a toothpick near the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Pulling them a minute early is better than a minute late; they keep setting as they cool.

Let them cool completely before frosting. Even slightly warm bars will melt vegan cream cheese frosting into a glaze. Give them a full hour on the rack, or speed things up with 20 minutes in the fridge once they're close to room temperature.

Beat the butter first, then the cream cheese. Vegan cream cheese can turn runny if it's beaten for too long, so cream the vegan butter on its own until fluffy, then add the cream cheese and mix only until smooth. If the frosting still seems loose, add a little more powdered sugar or chill it for 15 to 20 minutes.

Variations

• Cashew cream frosting. For a frosting without store-bought cream cheese or butter, blend soaked raw cashews with maple syrup, melted refined coconut oil, a splash of nondairy milk, lemon juice, and vanilla until silky, then chill it until spreadable. The full measurements are in the recipe notes below.
• Chocolate chip pumpkin bars. Fold ¾ cup vegan mini chocolate chips into the batter. They're good with or without the frosting, a bit like our pumpkin chocolate chip muffins in bar form.
• Maple frosting. Swap 2 tablespoons of the powdered sugar for pure maple syrup and add ¼ teaspoon maple extract. It pairs especially well with the spiced cake.
• Nutty crunch. Sprinkle ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts over the frosted bars instead of the cinnamon.
• Halloween pumpkin bars. Tint a few spoonfuls of frosting orange or black and pipe small pumpkins or spiderwebs over the top for a party platter.
• Unfrosted snack bars. Skip the frosting, cut the sugar in the batter by ¼ cup, and sprinkle the batter with turbinado sugar before baking for a lunchbox-friendly bar.

Serving Ideas

These bars are made for sharing. Cut them into 12 generous squares for dessert, or into 24 smaller pieces for a bake sale, a school party, or a Thanksgiving dessert table alongside a classic vegan pumpkin pie.

For a cozy afternoon treat, serve a bar with a mug of homemade vegan pumpkin spice latte, hot apple cider, or a strong cup of coffee. They also look great on a Halloween dessert board next to vegan Halloween cupcakes.

Storing & Freezing

Because of the cream cheese frosting, store frosted pumpkin bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Layer them between sheets of parchment so the frosting doesn't stick together. They're delicious cold, but letting them sit out for 15 minutes before serving brings back their soft texture and fuller flavor.

For freezing, the unfrosted slab freezes best. Wrap the cooled bars tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and frost the day you serve them. Frosted bars can also be frozen in a single layer until firm, then transferred to a container for up to 1 month; thaw them in the refrigerator, as the frosting may soften slightly.

To get ahead for a party, bake the bars a day in advance, keep them covered at room temperature once cooled, and make the frosting shortly before serving.

More Vegan Fall Desserts

If you loved these pumpkin bars, here are a few more treats you might enjoy:

• Vegan Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
• Vegan Blondies
• Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies
• Tasty Vegan Pumpkin Recipes

Recipe