Why this is the best gluten free pumpkin bar recipe
This gf pumpkin bars recipe is made simply with canned pumpkin and plenty of warm, spicy pumpkin-friendly spices. The crumb is denser than cake, more tender than cookies, and absolutely packed with deep, fall flavors.
This gluten free fall dessert will make your house smell heavenly, and you can make the bars with or without a generous spread of creamy, sweet cream cheese frosting.
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Gluten free pumpkin bars vs. pumpkin cake
These gluten free pumpkin bars are like a cross between a blondie bar or pumpkin cookie, and a pumpkin cake. The crumb is denser than a cake, which is airier, but less tight than a cookie, which tends to be either crispy or chewy.
Baking with pumpkin puree like we are here, instead of thicker, more intense pumpkin butter means that our baked goods are naturally fluffier, in a way that we can't quite control. Pumpkin puree just has so much moisture! But here, we harness that moisture to make incredibly tender pumpkin bars, but balance it with more gf flour and different sugars that add flavor, sweetness, and some chew.
Gluten free pumpkin bar ingredients
- Gluten free flour – I like Better Batter's classic gluten free flour blend here, but I think Cup4Cup and my Better Than Cup4Cup blend would also work well.
- Baking soda and baking powder – These are the chemical leaveners that give your pumpkin bars lift in the oven. The baking soda activates once, as soon as it's mixed in with wet ingredients, and also neutralizes the acidity in the molasses.
- Pumpkin pie spice – A mix of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and nutmeg, this warm fall spice blend is more responsible for the pumpkin flavor of these bars than the pumpkin itself!
- Sugar – We use a mixture of granulated sugar and light brown sugar, which are both refined sugars, one with some added molasses. They're sweeteners and tenderizers, plus the brown sugar adds some moisture and depth of flavor.
- Molasses – We use unsulphured molasses here (I use Grandma's brand) for depth of flavor. Avoid using blackstrap molasses, which is just too bitter.
- Maple syrup – For sweetness, depth, and just the pure maple flavor of real maple syrup. I store mine in the refrigerator after I've opened the bottle, so I measure it out and let it sit on the counter to come to room temperature before adding it to the mixture.
- Oil – Choose your favorite neutral cooking oil that adds no flavor for tenderizing fat that also retains more moisture than if we used butter. I usually use grapeseed oil, but peanut, canola, or vegetable oils would work just fine, too.
- Eggs – Eggs add structure, help the bars rise, and make the crumb a bit more cakey.
- Vanilla extract – For depth of flavor, use good quality pure vanilla extract. You can also add some maple flavoring in its place, if you'd like more of that flavor.
- Pumpkin puree – A whole 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree is used for these bars. Be sure you're using pumpkin puree, which is made from one single ingredient (often a squash that isn't pumpkin), not pumpkin pie filling, which has additional ingredients added to it.
Tips for making the best free pumpkin bars
Choosing a canned pumpkin puree
This recipe is made with a single, small can of pumpkin puree, which has a single ingredient (some sort of cooked and pureed squash). Be sure not to select pumpkin pie filling, which contains additional ingredients (including added sugar). And grab that smaller can that contains 15 ounces of puree, not the larger, 28-ounce can.
What pan to use for gluten free pumpkin bars
These bars are best when baked in a 10-inch x 15-inch x 1-inch baking pan, often known as a jelly roll pan. I prefer light colored baking pans made from stainless steel or cast aluminum, since they bake slowly and evenly, and don't attract extra heat which often leads to burning on the bottom.
If you don't have a jelly roll pan, you can make these bars in a 9-inch x 13-inch x 2-inch casserole dish, or a cake pan of similar size. The baking time should be the same since the length is only increased by 1-inch, but the sides of your sheet pan pumpkin bars won't be as clean if your casserole dish has sloped sides.
Let the gf pumpkins bars cool completely before frosting
Most frosting, including the cream cheese frosting in this recipe, is best when it's cool, not warm. Be sure to let your bars cool completely in the pan before covering them with frosting, since the fat in the frosting will begin to melt at temperatures higher than about 82°F.
How to serve gluten free pumpkin bars
Especially since these bars are made with oil, they're delightfully moist and will retain their texture even when the bars are cold. I prefer to serve them closer to room temperature, though, for maximum tenderness.
How to store gf pumpkin bars
These bars are so moist and tender that they won't dry out for 2 days if you store them, wrapped or covered properly, at room temperature. If you've frosted them already, they should be refrigerated to prevent the cream cheese from spoiling.
You can store your bars, frosted or unfrosted, in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to store leftovers cut into smaller pieces for quick snacking right from the fridge.
Can I freeze gluten free pumpkin bars?
Yes, these bars can be frozen after they've cooled completely—but I recommend against freezing the cream cheese frosting since it tends to get a little grainy when frozen. You can freeze the bars plain, sliced into squares or not, and then frost when you're ready to serve. Wrap the plain bars very tightly before freezing, so they don't get stale from freezer burn.
Gluten free pumpkin squares: substitutions
Gluten free, dairy free pumpkin bars
These pumpkin bars, without the frosting, are already gf and dairy free, since they're made with oil, not butter. But the frosting is full of dairy (cream cheese, butter), so leave that off. I'm afraid I've never found a nondairy cream cheese I've liked so I can't recommend one—yet. I'm still looking!
Gluten free, egg free pumpkin bars
In place of the 2 eggs, try 1 “chia egg” each. That would mean a total of 2 tablespoons ground white chia seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons lukewarm water, allowed to sit until it gels.
Can you make gluten free, sugar free pumpkin bars?
There are so many different types of sugar in these bars, and each adds a lot of flavor, tenderness, and sweetness. I'm afraid I don't recommend making these bars without sugar.
Gluten free pumpkin bar variations
To add a little variety to these gluten free pumpkin bars, here are a few suggestions:
- Try sprinkling the top of the raw batter with about 2 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped nuts before baking; press down on the chips or nuts with a wet spatula to help them adhere;
- Replace the cream cheese frosting with a drizzle of a simple confectioners' sugar glaze, like the one we use on gluten free pumpkin cinnamon rolls
- Slice the bars unfrosted, and then top each bar with some fresh homemade, lightly sweetened whipped cream and a dusting of ground cinnamon.
Making gluten free pumpkin bars with a cream cheese frosting
The rich pumpkin flavor of these bars is complemented best with a sweet cream cheese frosting. Cream cheese frosting is like a buttercream frosting, but made with cream cheese in place of butter. I like to add a bit of room temperature butter to cream cheese frosting to make it a bit more stable at cool room temperature, though, since cream cheese is softer by nature.
Be sure to begin with cream cheese and butter at cool room temperature, and beat them together with a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for at least 3 minutes to incorporate plenty of air. That is how you make sure your frosting is light and fluffy.
More gluten free pumpkin recipes
If you're seeking more gluten free pumpkin desserts for Thanksgiving or just to celebrate the season with fall desserts, here are a few more of my favorites:
- These gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip squares are basically pumpkin-flavored blondies, and my husband simply won't let Thanksgiving happen without at least one batch.
- Don't miss the smooth pumpkin custard filling of this classic gluten free pumpkin pie.
- The ultimate fall showstopper, this gluten free pumpkin cake roll looks much more difficult than it actually is, and dresses up any table. If you've been putting off learning to make a cake roll, now's the time!
FAQs
Is pumpkin gluten free?
Yes! Pumpkin, a winter squash, is a fruit, and all fresh fruits are naturally gluten free.
Is pumpkin puree gluten free?
Yes! In that can of “pure” pumpkin, though, you may find another type of orange or yellow squash, though, like butternut squash but it will taste the same—and be naturally gluten free!
Can I use pumpkin pie filling to make these gluten free pumpkin bars?
No, these pumpkin bars can only be made with single-ingredient pumpkin puree, since the recipe is written to be made with that ingredient as a simple, single one.
What's the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?
Pumpkin pie filling, unlike pumpkin puree, already has a number of spices, sweeteners, and sometimes gluten-containing flours, added to it.
Can I make gf pumpkin bars with fresh pumpkin?
Yes, you can make your own fresh roasted and pureed pumpkin flesh and use 15 ounces, by weight, of it in place of canned pumpkin puree. Follow our instructions for making homemade pumpkin puree.
Are these flourless pumpkin bars?
No, these aren't flourless pumpkin bars, since they're made with an all purpose gluten free flour blend, like Cup4Cup or Better Batter's classic gluten free blend. Flourless baking is accomplished without using any dry being ground into a flour.
Can I make gluten free pumpkin bars in advance?
Yes! These bars, when wrapped tightly, will stay fresh for at least 2 days. You may prefer to make the cream cheese frosting on the day you plan to serve the bars, and frost them right before serving.
Can I use a cake pan for this gluten free pumpkin bar recipe?
Yes, you can bake these bars in a 9-inch x 13-inch cake pan, or even a casserole pan, but the edges of your bars will have sloped sides.
Do I need to refrigerate leftover gf pumpkin bars?
If you've already frosted your gf pumpkin bars, the frosting should be refrigerated after a couple of hours at cool room temperature. If your bars haven't been frosted, or just haven't been frosted yet, you can wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and let them sit at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer (for the frosting)
Ingredients
For the bars
- 2 ½ cups (350 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for appropriate blend info)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
- ⅝ cup (140 g) neutral oil (vegetable, canola, grapeseed, or peanut oil would all work well)
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- ⅜ cup (126 g) pure maple syrup at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) unsulphured molasses at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree at room temperature
For the cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups (173 g) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Make the bars.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 10-inch x 15-inch x 1-inch jelly roll pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie pie, and sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Add the brown sugar, and mix to combine. Be sure to break up any clumps in the brown sugar.
- Add the oil, eggs, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. Mix until combined. The batter will be thick but quite soft.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and use a wet spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Be sure to spread the batter all the way into the corners of the pan, even with the rest of the batter.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 28 minutes, or until the bars appear puffed and lightly golden brown all over. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.
Make the frosting.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Add 1 1/2 cups (173 g) confectioners’ sugar, and beat until smooth (another or 2 minutes).
Frost the cooled bars.
- Spread the frosting on top of the cooled bars, creating a swooping pattern on top, if you like.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the frosted bars into 12 squares of equal size, and serve.
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Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Jo says
Just curious…recipe calls for 1 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp baking powder….is this correct? Usually in recipes soda is less and powder more…??
Nicole Hunn says
Yes, Jo, there is no error in the recipe.
Stefania says
These were a hit at a birthday party. I used a different flour blend but these were so light and airy! Didn’t need the frosting as it was delicious on its own! Could def see how delicious cream cheese frosting or mascarpone frosting would be on this! Thank you!
Mary G. says
You wrote 3/8 cup maple syrup, but said 126 grams. Did you mean 85 grams? Something seems wrong here, but not sure. I hope the 3/8 c was correct because that’s what I used!
Nicole Hunn says
No, Mary, 3/8 of a cup is 6 tablespoons, and each tablespoon weighs 21 grams. There’s no error in either measurement.
Tina says
Kite Hill makes a dairy free cream cheese. If you have a Kroger store near you, their Simple Truth brand also makes a dairy free gluten free cream cheese. I use these 2 brands all the time for my GF/DF teenager.
Nicole Hunn says
I’ve tried Kite Hill dairy free cream cheese and really didn’t find it to taste like cream cheese at all. I don’t have Kroger, though, but I wish I could try their brand. I’ve wasted so much money on dairy free cream cheese, hoping to be able to make a vegan cheesecake that actually tastes like the “real” thing.
Jill says
These pumpkin bars are delicious! Simple to make with “normal” ingredients. The fluffy cream cheese frosting perfectly completes soft, flavorful pumpkin bars.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Jill!