Spiced Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars

Fall baking season is hands down my favorite time of year. The smell of cinnamon and pumpkin filling the house just makes everything feel cozy. But when you’re trying to bake for someone who can’t eat gluten, it can feel a little tricky to get that perfect texture we all love.

That’s where these gluten free pumpkin bars come in. They’re soft, moist, and honestly taste just like the regular version. I’ve served them at family gatherings and nobody even knew they were gluten free until I mentioned it. The secret is using the right blend of gluten free flour and not overmixing the batter.

Want them plain and simple? Perfect. Prefer a cream cheese frosting on top? Even better. I usually make a double batch because they disappear so fast around here.

What Kind of Pumpkin Should I Use?

For these bars, you’ll want to stick with canned pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling, which already has spices and sugar added. Plain canned pumpkin gives you control over the flavors and sweetness in your recipe. Most brands work well, but look for 100% pure pumpkin on the label to make sure you’re getting the real deal. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can absolutely use fresh pumpkin that you’ve roasted and pureed yourself, though canned pumpkin is convenient and consistent in moisture content, which helps ensure your bars turn out perfectly every time.

Options for Substitutions

These pumpkin bars are already pretty accommodating, but here are some swaps you can make:

• Gluten-free flour: If you don’t need gluten-free, regular all-purpose flour works perfectly in the same amount. Just make sure your flour has xanthan gum if you’re sticking with gluten-free – it’s what gives the bars their proper texture.
• Vegetable oil: As mentioned in the recipe, you can cut some oil by using half applesauce and half oil. You could also try melted coconut oil or even melted butter for a richer flavor.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? Mix together ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ginger, and a pinch of cloves.
• Brown sugar: You can swap brown sugar for coconut sugar or even use all granulated sugar if that’s what you have – just add an extra tablespoon of oil to keep things moist.
• Cream cheese and butter: The recipe already suggests dairy-free options, but you could also make a simple glaze with powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk instead of the cream cheese frosting.
• Eggs: For egg-free bars, try using 3 flax eggs (3 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 9 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes) or ¾ cup applesauce.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making gluten-free pumpkin bars is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, which can make your bars dense and gummy instead of light and tender – mix just until the ingredients are combined and no dry flour streaks remain. Make sure you’re using canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, as the latter contains added spices and sugar that will throw off your recipe’s balance. Another common error is underbaking these bars since they need to be completely set in the center before removing from the oven, so test with a toothpick and look for just a few moist crumbs. For the smoothest cream cheese frosting, ensure your cream cheese and butter are truly at room temperature before beating – cold ingredients will create a lumpy frosting no matter how long you mix.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Bars?

These pumpkin bars are perfect on their own, but they pair beautifully with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea for an afternoon treat. If you want to make them extra special for a fall gathering, serve them alongside some vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. They’re also great with a glass of cold milk, especially if you’re serving them to kids. For a cozy autumn dessert spread, try putting them out with some apple cider donuts or caramel apple slices to really lean into those fall flavors.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These pumpkin bars stay moist and delicious when covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. The cream cheese frosting means they need to stay cold, so don’t leave them out on the counter for more than a couple hours.

Freeze: You can freeze these bars for up to 3 months! I like to cut them into individual squares and wrap each one in plastic wrap, then store them all in a freezer bag. This way you can grab just one or two whenever you want a treat.

Thaw: When you’re ready to eat frozen bars, just move them to the fridge and let them thaw overnight. They taste just as good as fresh! If you’re in a hurry, you can leave them on the counter for about an hour to soften up.

Preparation Time	15-25 minutes
Cooking Time	25-30 minutes
Total Time	40-55 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3500-3800
• Protein: 30-36 g
• Fat: 170-185 g
• Carbohydrates: 470-500 g

Ingredients

For the pumpkin bars:

• 1 can pure pumpkin (I use Libby’s)
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (for warmth and depth)
• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum (I use King Arthur)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup vegetable oil (or 1/2 cup applesauce plus 1/2 cup oil for moisture)
• 1 tsp baking soda

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened (or Kite Hill for dairy-free)
• 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Preheat

• 3 large eggs
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to hang over the edges for easy removal later.

While the oven heats, bring your eggs, cream cheese, and butter to room temperature—this ensures even mixing and a better crumb structure.

Sift together the powdered sugar for the frosting to remove any lumps, which prevents a grainy texture in the final product.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients for the Bars

• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.

Whisking rather than just stirring helps distribute the leavening agents and spices evenly throughout the flour, which is especially important with gluten-free baking where the structure is more delicate.

Set this dry mixture aside.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients and Create the Batter

• 1 can pure pumpkin
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil (or applesauce and oil combination), both sugars, and vanilla extract until smooth and well-combined.

I like to add a pinch of extra cinnamon to the wet mixture for a more pronounced spice flavor—it adds warmth without overpowering.

Gently fold in the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 using a spatula until just combined; do not overmix, as this can develop gluten and make the bars dense and tough.

Step 4: Bake the Pumpkin Bars

• batter from Step 3

Pour the batter from Step 3 into your prepared 9×13 inch pan, smoothing the top with a spatula for even baking.

Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs—the bars will continue to set slightly as they cool.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan before frosting; this prevents the frosting from melting into the warm bars.

Step 5: Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• sifted powdered sugar from Step 1
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

While the bars cool, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, using an electric mixer on medium speed.

Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar from Step 1, beating until smooth and spreadable.

Add the vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.

The frosting should be creamy but not overly soft—if it seems too thin, refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes before spreading.

Step 6: Frost and Finish

• cooled pumpkin bars from Step 4
• cream cheese frosting from Step 5

Once the cooled bars from Step 4 are completely at room temperature, spread the cream cheese frosting from Step 5 evenly over the top using an offset spatula or the back of a knife.

For cleaner cuts, refrigerate the frosted bars for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab from the pan, then cut into squares with a sharp, warm knife (wipe it clean between cuts for neat edges).