These ridiculously soft pumpkin bars are the perfect ode to fall. Full of pumpkin spice, a touch of maple syrup, and topped with a vegan cream cheese frosting, these vegan pumpkin bars need only a bowl and a whisk- SO EASY!

vegan pumpkin bar with pumpkin truffle on top leaning on another vegan pumpkin bar with more pumpkin truffles nearby.

Quick Look: One Bowl MOIST Vegan Pumpkin Bars

  • Method: One bowl and a whisk; bake, frost, and enjoy!
  • Why Make THIS Version? Ridiculously moist & soft and FULL of pumpkin flavor- all with simple ingredients!
  • Secret to Success: Sift the flour into the batter- this will create the softest pumpkin bars!
  • Key Ingredients: All-purpose flour, pumpkin puree, dairy-free milk, vegan butter, pumpkin spice.
  • Pairs Well With: Hot coffee, cold milk, and a homemade PSL!
  • Freezer-Friendly: Yes. Freeze your finished pumpkin bars for up to 3 months.
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Why you should try these pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting

Here’s the deets: we have an ultra fluffy, moist, and flavorful pumpkin cake-like base. It’s full of flavor and wonderfully balanced with a touch of maple syrup and sweetness to round out the flavor profile (and make them different from my pumpkin cupcakes and pumpkin cake!). Next, we have a from-scratch vegan cream cheese frosting that could quite honestly be eaten with a spoon.

Both kids and adults love this recipe, and it’s easy to eat a whole slice in a sitting. You’ll definitely want to share.

These easy vegan pumpkin bars are perfect for Thanksgiving dessert, Halloween (decorate them with fun vegan Halloween sprinkles!). And they go great with a homemade pumpkin spice latte 😉

What’s the difference between pumpkin bars and pumpkin cake?

If you’ve been a Banana Diaries reader for a while, then you’re probably familiar with this vegan pumpkin cake. It’s absolutely delicious and the fall cake to make this season.

However, pumpkin cake is definitely different from pumpkin bars…which are still different from a brownie or even sheet cake!

These vegan pumpkin bars are like an in-between of a sheet cake and a brownie. Not super fudgy and dense, but also not quite so tender that it will easily crumb, like cake. They’re super fluffy and light while also being packed with flavor. I think it’s most similar to a snack cake!

All in all, these pumpkin spice bars are just delicious!

Ingredients & Substitutions

vegan pumpkin bars ingredients on a marble table.

Here are the few and simply ingredients you need to make this super easy vegan pumpkin bar recipe:

  • Flour: you can use gluten free 1:1 baking flour or regular all purpose flour here.
  • Sugar & light brown sugar: The light brown sugar helps to add a bit of extra moisture and a deeper rich flavors to our pumpkin bars.
  • Pumpkin spice: This is typically a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. However, sometimes, I mix in some cardamom as well! You can make this homemade if you’d like or purchase in stores. It’s a wonderful spice blend that I LOVE using in my pumpkin coffee cake as well!
  • Cinnamon: for extra warming spices 🙂
  • Pumpkin puree: you can’t have pumpkin bars without pumpkin puree! I haven’t tested this recipe using homemade pumpkin puree, so I can’t speak to the results.
  • Neutral oil: I use avocado oil here.
  • Vegan buttermilk: I combined dairy free milk with a little apple cider vinegar to yield a dairy free buttermilk that acts just like traditional. It’s super easy! I recommend Forager Project Oat Milk or oat milk in general, as it tends to be creamier and yields a fluffier cake.
  • Vegan cream cheese frosting: this is a combination of vegan cream cheese (recommendations in the recipe card below!), vegan butter, and powdered sugar!
  • Vegan caramel sauce: This isn’t necessary, but it’s certainly fun to top the pumpkin bars with 🙂 I use my homemade vegan caramel sauce here and it’s DELICIOUS!

How to make the best one bowl vegan pumpkin bars

Let’s go over just how quick and simple these pumpkin bars are to make!

A whisk blending batter in a glass bowl, on a marble table.

1. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, sugar, neutral oil, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, maple syrup, and sea salt.

A whisk blending batter in a glass bowl, with a small pumpkin nearby.

2. Sift in the flour and whisk in the dairy free milk so that the pumpkin bar batter is fluffy and consistent.

pumpkin bar cake batter in a metal pan on a marble table with small pumpkin nearby.

3. Bake the pumpkin bars for 27-32 minutes at 350F or until a toothpick comes out clean.

baked pumpkin bars on a marble table.

4. Once baked, allow the pumpkin bars to fully cool before frosting. This will take 1-2 hours, since pumpkin is quite dense.

bowl of cream cheese frosting on a wooden table with mini pumpkin nearby.

5. Then make the cream cheese frosting. Simply cream together the vegan butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until fluffy and creamy.

frosted pumpkin bars with mini pumpkin truffles on top with small bowls surrounding it.

6. Frost with the vegan cream cheese frosting, swirls of cooled caramel, and optional Biscoff pumpkin spice truffles! Slice and serve!

And if you love just how easy this one bowl pumpkin recipe is, then you must try my one bowl MOIST pumpkin spice latte cake with espresso cream cheese frosting! All vegan and you’d never know 🙂

sliced vegan pumpkin bars on parchment paper.

Vegan Pumpkin Bars FAQs

Can you use pumpkin pie filling for pumpkin bars?

Unfortunately, this vegan pumpkin bars recipe can only use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling!

Why are my vegan pumpkin bars so dense?

Denseness in pumpkin bars can happen if you’ve measured too much flour. I always recommend using a kitchen scale when measuring flour, but if you can’t, make sure you spoon and level the flour rather than scooping the flour.

Do you grease the pan for pumpkin bars?

Yes, you’ll grease the pan with a neutral cooking oil or cooking oil spray and line with parchment paper to ensure your pumpkin bars don’t fully stick!

Should I refrigerate my pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting?

Absolutely. I recommend storing any leftover pumpkin bars in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

bitten pumpkin bar on a plate.

🌟MADE THIS RECIPE & LOVED IT?🌟I’d love it if you’d like a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below! This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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vegan pumpkin bar with pumpkin truffle on top leaning on another vegan pumpkin bar with more pumpkin truffles nearby.

One Bowl MOIST Vegan Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 11 reviews
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 27
  • Total Time: 37 minutes
  • Yield: 9 1x
  • Category: Bars
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

These ridiculously soft pumpkin bars are the perfect ode to fall. Full of pumpkin spice, a touch of maple syrup, and topped with a vegan cream cheese frosting, these vegan pumpkin bars need only a bowl and a whisk- SO EASY!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) vegan buttermilk
  • 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour*
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 can (425 g) pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (110 g) light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (57 g) neutral cooking oil
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 batch vegan cream cheese frosting

Instructions

  1. Please read through all instructions before beginning.
  2. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, and grease the edges. Measure out all ingredients for the pumpkin bars specifically. For the buttermilk, follow the instructions to mix together the dairy free milk and apple cider vinegar, then set aside to curdle for 5-10 minutes. 
  3. Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, brown sugar, melted vegan butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Add in the pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt and whisk together. Then add in flour, along with the vegan buttermilk, and gently whisk the flour into the wet until there are just no more dry clumps (be careful not to over-mix the batter). 
  4. Bake the pumpkin bars: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and place the pumpkin bars pan into the oven to bake for 27-32 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven, and allow the bars to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before making the cream cheese frosting.
  5. Make the vegan cream cheese frosting: Once the pumpkin bars are completely cool, you can begin to make the vegan cream cheese frosting. Start by creaming together the vegan cream cheese and vegan butter in a large bowl, using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Add in the powdered sugar in 1 cup increments, mixing as you go. Once the powdered sugar is fully incorporated, mix until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. You can use a tablespoon of dairy free milk if necessary to help incorporate the powdered sugar.
  6. Frost the pumpkin bars: Spoon the frosting onto the tops of the pumpkin bars. Spread it evenly until it reaches the edges of the bars. Slice and serve. If needed, you can allow the pumpkin bars to set in the fridge for 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
  7. Storage: Store any leftover slices in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Notes

Gluten free flour: I recommend using King Arthur Measure for Measure baking flour here for the best results. 

Vegan buttermilk: You can use soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk. 

Vegan Cream Cheese: the brand of vegan cream cheese you purchase is super important. Not all brands are made equal and act differently in different recipes. For frosting, I prefer to use my homemade vegan cream cheese, Kite Hill, or Tofutti. I’ve had the most success with that brand in terms of taste and stability of frosting. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice without frosting
  • Calories: 270
  • Sugar: 26 g
  • Sodium: 149.7 mg
  • Fat: 6.7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 50.2 g
  • Fiber: 1.7 g
  • Protein: 3.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 0.7 mg