Pumpkin Bars {gluten free}

Gluten free pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are likely to be your most requested pumpkin dessert. These dense pumpkin bars studded with mini chocolate chips are the perfect gluten free dessert for your Thanksgiving table.

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. I appreciate the opportunity to share recipes made with ingredients from brands I trust and support. All opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Sprouts Farmers Market. #sponsored

It’s pumpkin season!

Baking with pumpkin is popular at this time of year. There is always a pumpkin pie on the Thanksgiving menu and I love pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread for breakfast. Do you have a favorite pumpkin dessert? Give this pumpkin dip a try when you need a tasty pumpkin recipe in no time at all.

Pumpkin bars are a lot like pumpkin blondies– the non chocolate version of a brownie. You’ll mix the batter in one large bowl and pour it into a prepared square baking pan just like you would if you were baking brownies. 

This recipe for pumpkin squares is gluten free. The base is oat flour which you can buy prepackaged or pulse gluten free oats in the food processor like I did. Of course if you don’t require gluten free pumpkin bars you can use traditional flour but the oats are a good option for gluten and gluten free dessert lovers. 

Let’s start with what makes these pumpkin bars one of the best pumpkin desserts you’ll make all year. First, you’ll need pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling), then you’ll use a pumpkin spice mix, and finally you’ll frost these bars with a smooth cream cheese frosting.

Do you bake with whole pumpkins or use canned pumpkin? 

I choose to use canned pumpkin nearly all of the time and buy my organic pumpkin from Sprouts Farmers Market. The only ingredient in Sprouts’ organic canned pumpkin is organic pumpkin. No additives, no words you can’t pronounce, and nothing more and nothing less than pumpkin. 

What’s in pumpkin spice? 

Coffee shops have popularized all things pumpkin spice and for good reason! Pumpkin pie spice gives you that warm and cozy feeling whether it is in a coffee or in a baked good. Have you been making pumpkin spice recipes lately?

Sprouts has an organic pumpkin pie spice that includes organic cinnamon, organic ginger, organic cloves and organic nutmeg. Fall flavors are aromatic and homey. You likely have most of these spices in your pantry already and can easily make your own combination of pumpkin spice. 

Start with cinnamon as your primary spice, then add a smaller amount of ginger, cloves and nutmeg.

Ginger, cloves and nutmeg can be overwhelming in large quantities so use a small amount at first when making your own spice mix and add more if you’d like. 

Here’s a quick ratio I use to make pumpkin spice: two teaspoons of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cloves and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. This mixture is heavy on cinnamon; feel free to adjust as you’d like.

A general reminder for my friends with celiac disease, make sure you check that your spices and each individual recipe ingredient are gluten free. 

How to make pumpkin bars?

1. Combine the dry ingredients.
2. Add the wet ingredients. Stir to blend.
3. Add chocolate chips if you wish.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes.
5. Cool completely then top with a cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Let’s take a quick minute to talk about this cream cheese frosting. It’s the perfect pairing with classic pumpkin bars. Of course, you could serve the pumpkin squares plain, without any icing or glaze at all, but why would you do that when there is the option of cream cheese frosting?

Try not to lick this frosting right off the spoon. 

The trick to a smooth frosting is to let the cream cheese and butter come to room temperature before you begin. When the butter and cream cheese are softened they blend together so easily. If you start with cold ingredients you will find small chunks in your frosting which is not idea.

Pumpkin pie spice makes an appearance in this frosting — just a little bit goes a long way– but even the hint of pumpkin spice elevates this creamy frosting. 

Use the paddle beater on your stand mixer to let this frosting come together. Are you curious if your mixer is working its best? Check out this post on how to adjust the height of your paddle on the stand mixer.

How to store pumpkin bars

If you serve these pumpkin treats plain, you can store them at room temperature in an air tight container for 3 to 5 days (if they last that long!)

Any dessert with cream cheese frosting needs to be refrigerated. 

You may bake gluten free pumpkin bars ahead of time and freeze them. While you can freeze the bars with the frosting, I prefer to freeze them plain then add the spiced cream cheese frosting once the bars have defrosted.

Gluten free recipes

Are you looking for more gluten free pumpkin recipes? While I am sure these flourless pumpkin bars will delight your family, you may want to try other pumpkin recipes like this pumpkin fruit leather,  pumpkin smoothie bowl, or pumpkin macarons.

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