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Enjoy the flavors of fall with these Small Batch Pumpkin Bars, topped with a smooth, creamy layer of cream cheese frosting. Each bite is filled with warm spices and rich pumpkin, making these bars easy to make and just the right size to share—or enjoy on your own.
If you’re looking for more single serving and small batch pumpkin recipes, try our decadent Pumpkin Pie Bars, rich Pumpkin Dump Cake, our quick and easy Pumpkin Spice Granola, or our moist Pumpkin Coffee Cake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: With a few simple steps, these pumpkin bars come together quickly, so you can enjoy them without much fuss.
- Packed with Flavor: Each bar bursts with warm spices and pumpkin, delivering a delicious taste in every bite.
- Small Batch: Ideal for a night in or sharing with a few friends, keeping leftovers minimal and every bar tasting fresh.
- Easy to Double: Need more to share? This small batch pumpkin bars recipe doubles easily, so there’s plenty of pumpkin goodness to go around.
Pumpkin Bars bring you all the moist, spiced goodness of pumpkin cake, but in a convenient bar form that’s perfect for those cooking for one or two. Made in a 4×6-inch or a 5×5-inch baking dish, these bars are easy to slice and serve, with each bite full of warm, classic fall spices that make them hard to resist.
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Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy pumpkin bars recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree: The key ingredient here! Be sure to use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Leftover puree? Use it in a small pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice muffins, or pumpkin cheesecake.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps the bars moist. Feel free to substitute with avocado oil, canola oil, or another mild-tasting oil.
- Egg: Helps bind everything together.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives structure to the bars. For gluten-free pumpkin bars, swap it with a gluten-free flour blend, like King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Essential for helping the bars rise as they bake.
- Cinnamon: Adds warm spice to the bars. You can also use a pinch of nutmeg for extra warmth.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds depth to the frosting’s flavor; maple syrup works as a substitute.
- Cream Cheese: Creates a creamy, rich frosting. Leftover cream cheese? Use it in a single serving cheesecake or a frosted Carrot Cake!
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the frosting just right.
How To Store Leftover Pumpkin Purée
Refrigerate Leftovers: Store leftover pumpkin purée in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. Be sure to label it with the date you opened it.
Freeze for Longer Storage: To keep it longer, freeze in portions you’ll use most often. Place in zip-top bags, label with the date, and freeze.
Ice Cube Tray Tip: For easy portions, spoon 1 tablespoon of purée into an ice cube tray, freeze, then transfer the cubes to a zip-top bag. These are handy for smoothies or recipes.
Freezer Shelf Life: Frozen pumpkin purée stays fresh for up to 3 months.
Recipe Variations
Looking to give your pumpkin bars a little extra flair? Here are a few ideas to add a fun twist:
- Pumpkin Bars with Nuts: For added crunch, mix in a handful of toasted walnuts or pecans. They’ll bring a lovely texture and a bit of nutty flavor to each bite.
- Chocolate Pumpkin: Stir in mini chocolate chips for a sweet twist. Chocolate and pumpkin make a fantastic pair, adding richness to these spiced bars.
- Fruit-Infused: Toss in some dried cranberries or raisins for a hint of fruity flavor. They add a nice tang that complements the warm spices and pumpkin.
- Caramel Topped: Swap the cream cheese frosting for a drizzle of caramel sauce to make these bars even more indulgent.
How To Make A Small Batch Of Pumpkin Bars
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make pumpkin bars. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the egg, sugar, oil, and pumpkin using an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a lightly buttered baking dish.
Pro Tip: Use a 4×6-inch baking dish (24 square inches), a 5×5-inch dish (25 square inches), or a 6×6-inch dish for slightly thinner bars that may bake a bit faster.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the bars are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.
Make The Cream Cheese Frosting
Note: While these bars taste great on their own, adding a layer of cream cheese frosting takes them to another level. Feel free to skip the frosting if you prefer.
- In a small bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, mixing until everything is combined and smooth. Spread the frosting over the cooled pumpkin bars, then cut into squares.
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Expert Tips
- Use Pumpkin Purée, Not Pumpkin Pie Filling: For the best flavor in these small batch pumpkin bars, stick to pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices that can alter the flavor. Pure pumpkin purée keeps the taste natural and lets you control the spice level.
- Measure Flour Carefully: Adding too much flour is a common issue when making pumpkin bars, often leading to a dry, crumbly texture. For accuracy, loosen the flour by stirring it, then spoon it into your measuring cup and level off with the flat edge of a knife.
- Customize Your Toppings: This small batch of pumpkin bars are delicious as is, but feel free to get creative! Add a sprinkle of festive toppings like candy corn or roasted pumpkin seeds. For extra texture, try mixing in chocolate chips, raisins, or walnuts.
- Check Your Oven Temperature: Ensuring your oven is properly calibrated is key to perfect pumpkin bars. An inaccurate oven can cause uneven baking. An oven thermometer is a helpful tool to confirm the correct temperature before baking.
Serving Suggestions
- Classic Style: Serve a pumpkin bar square with a dollop of whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon for a simple, delicious touch that highlights the natural flavors.
- Ice Cream Topping: Crumble a bar over vanilla ice cream for an easy and satisfying dessert that combines warm fall flavors with creamy cold bites.
- As a Homemade Gift: Wrap a few bars in parchment paper for a thoughtful homemade gift—these make a sweet, personal treat to share with friends or family.
- With Hot Chocolate: Pair a pumpkin bar with a warm mug of hot chocolate for an indulgent fall treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pumpkin purée is simply pureed pumpkin with no added ingredients, while pumpkin pie filling contains sugar and spices. For this recipe, use pumpkin purée for a natural pumpkin flavor.
A 4×6-inch or 5×5-inch baking dish works well. A 6×6-inch dish will also work but will result in thinner bars.
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They also freeze well—just wrap individually for easy snacking later.
Yes, you can. If you would like to make a larger batch, double the ingredient amounts and use either two 5×5-inch baking dishes or use one 6.5×6.5-inch baking dish, or one 6×8-inch baking dish. You may need to increase the baking time by 5 minutes.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried these pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
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Small Batch Pumpkin Bars
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish or a 4×6-inch baking dish
Ingredients
For the pumpkin bars
- 1 large egg
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (or use avocado oil or canola oil)
- 3 ounces canned pumpkin puree
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the cream cheese frosting
- 2 ounces cream cheese -softened
- 2 tablespoons salted butter -softened
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the pumpkin bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the egg, sugar, oil, and pumpkin using an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a buttered 5×5-inch baking dish or a 4×6-inch baking dish.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the bars are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.
Make the cream cheese frosting
- In a small bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, mixing until everything is combined and smooth. Spread the frosting over the cooled pumpkin bars, then cut into squares.
Notes
- Use Pumpkin Purée, Not Pumpkin Pie Filling: For the best flavor in these small batch pumpkin bars, stick to pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices that can alter the flavor. Pure pumpkin purée keeps the taste natural and lets you control the spice level.
- Measure Flour Carefully: Adding too much flour is a common issue when making pumpkin bars, often leading to a dry, crumbly texture. For accuracy, loosen the flour by stirring it, then spoon it into your measuring cup and level off with the flat edge of a knife.
- Customize Your Toppings: This small batch of pumpkin bars are delicious as is, but feel free to get creative! Add a sprinkle of festive toppings like candy corn or roasted pumpkin seeds. For extra texture, try mixing in chocolate chips, raisins, or walnuts.
- Check Your Oven Temperature: Ensuring your oven is properly calibrated is key to perfect pumpkin bars. An inaccurate oven can cause uneven baking. An oven thermometer is a helpful tool to confirm the correct temperature before baking.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
These bars were so very good! I could eat them even without the frosting. Thank you for your recipes. Everything I’ve made so far from your site has turned out excellent. The only thing was, unless I missed it in the instructions, I had to look up how many tablespoons were in 3 oz not really a big deal though. Thank you again Joanie!
This a perfect recipe for sure!! The frosting is amazing!!! Love the recipe for two as it’s just my husband and I. Thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the bars. Thank you so much for your feedback.
I love this recipe! I used a little 6 inch silicone bundt pan! Came out perfect! I doubled the ingredients for the frosting so I would have plenty to cover the whole cake. It was perfect!! Thank you for developing such wonderful recipes for my husband and me! I just have a little request….could you come up with a recipe for 2 for taco soup?? Thank you again!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Bridgette. Thanks so much for your feedback. I LOVE the idea of a taco soup. We’ll add it to our list of recipes to possibly work on – stay tuned.
These bars are excellent!! Also swapped maple extract for the vanilla in the frosting and it was good too Just thought you would like to know.
Oooh! I love the idea of using maple syrup. Thank you for sharing that tip. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Joanie
Made these gluten free using an all,purpose GF flour! Came out great.
Love the small size as there are only two,in our household.
Used a 6-in. round baking dish and it was fine. 🍁
Wonderful, Betty! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for letting me know!
These sweet little pumpkin bars totally hit the spot!
Pumpkin Bars are my favorite fall dessert! I love the smaller batch recipe – otherwise I would so eat the entire pan!
The frosting is also AWESOME made with the Philadelphia-brand tub cream cheese that is cinnamon infused! I can never have too much cinnamon, and of course, it works perfectly with pumpkin 🙂
I love the idea of using cinnamon infused cream cheese! Great suggestion.
This is the perfect size for gift giving! It’s the perfect amount!
This is perfect! Not just for one…. but for those who don’t need to temptation to eat more than they should!