The Pioneer Woman’s Pumpkin Bars are essentially a thinner, moister version of pumpkin cake, baked in a large sheet pan to feed a crowd. Ree Drummond’s recipe is legendary for its incredibly soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture, which comes from using oil instead of butter in the batter. Topped with a thick layer of tangy, sweet cream cheese frosting, these squares are the quintessential autumn dessert. They are easier to transport than a layer cake and lighter than a pie, making them the first thing to disappear at Halloween parties or Thanksgiving potlucks.
Try More Recipes:
- Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Pie with Condensed Milk Recipe
- Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Banana Bread Recipe
- Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipe
🧡 Why You Will Love This Pumpkin Bars Recipe:
- Crowd-Pleaser: This recipe is baked in a jelly roll pan (sheet pan), yielding about 24–30 bars, making it perfect for parties.
- Unbeatable Moisture: The combination of vegetable oil and pumpkin purée keeps these bars soft for days—they never get dry.
- Perfect Ratio: Because the cake layer is thin, you get the perfect amount of frosting in every single bite.
- Simple Pantry Staples: You likely have everything you need (flour, sugar, oil, spices) in your kitchen right now.
🥚 Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Bars Ingredients
- 4 Large Eggs: Room temperature.
- 1 2/3 cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Vegetable Oil: (Or Canola oil).
- 1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin Puree: (100% pure pumpkin).
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda: (Use slightly less if you prefer a denser bar).
- 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice: (Optional, for extra kick).
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- For The Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 package (8 oz) Cream Cheese: Softened.
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) Butter: Softened.
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar: Sifted.
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
🥮 How To Make Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Bars
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan (a rimmed baking sheet) generously with butter or cooking spray.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl (or stand mixer), beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin puree on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Combine: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined and smooth. Do not overmix.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly into the corners. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. (If you frost it while warm, the frosting will melt and slide off).
- Make Frosting: While the cake cools, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy and spreadable.
- Frost & Serve: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Cut into squares and serve.
💡 Recipe Tips
- Pan Size Matters: A jelly roll pan (15×10) is standard. If you use a smaller 9×13 pan, the bars will be much thicker (more like cake) and will need to bake for 30–35 minutes.
- Room Temp Dairy: Ensure your butter and cream cheese are truly soft before mixing the frosting to avoid white lumps.
- Sifting Sugar: Sifting the powdered sugar prevents grainy frosting.
- Chill Before Cutting: For the neatest squares, chill the frosted cake in the fridge for 30 minutes before slicing.
🥛 What To Serve With Pumpkin Bars?
The Pioneer Woman’s Pumpkin Bars are sweet and rich with cream cheese frosting, so they pair perfectly with a hot mug of strong coffee or a cold glass of milk to balance the sugar. For a plated dessert, serve a square with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a drizzle of warm salted caramel sauce. A sprinkling of chopped pecans or walnuts adds a welcome crunch to the soft texture.
🎚 How To Store Leftovers Pumpkin Bars?
- Fridge: Because of the cream cheese frosting, these must be stored in the refrigerator. Cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap. They keep well for 5–7 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze the baked bars (frosted or unfrosted). Place them in a single layer in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
🥵 How To Reheat Leftovers Pumpkin Bars?
Room Temperature (Best Method): Remove the bars from the fridge 20–30 minutes before serving. This softens the butter in the frosting without melting it.
Oven: Do not reheat in the oven, or you will have a puddle of frosting.
- Microwave (Careful): Heat a single square for 10–15 seconds. Be aware that the frosting will melt into a glaze (which is delicious, but messy).
FAQs
Yes, but roast and drain it well. Fresh pumpkin has more water than canned, which can make the bars soggy.
Yes, you can reduce the sugar in the batter to 1 cup, but the texture might be slightly less moist.
Add more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time) or chill it in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.
Try More Recipes:
- Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Puree
- Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- Pioneer Woman Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Pumpkin Bars Nutrition Facts (Per bar, based on 24 bars)
- Calories: ~230 kcal
- Total Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Sugars: 20g
- Protein: 2g
Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Bars Recipe
Course: Dessert, BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy24
Bars20
minutes23
minutes230
kcal1
hour10
minutesRee Drummond’s famous fall treat: a moist, spiced pumpkin sheet cake topped with a generous layer of tangy cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
4 Large Eggs: Room temperature.
1 2/3 cups Granulated Sugar
1 cup Vegetable Oil: (Or Canola oil).
1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin Puree: (100% pure pumpkin).
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda: (Use slightly less if you prefer a denser bar).
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice: (Optional, for extra kick).
1/2 tsp Salt
- For The Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 package (8 oz) Cream Cheese: Softened.
1 stick (1/2 cup) Butter: Softened.
2 cups Powdered Sugar: Sifted.
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Directions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan (a rimmed baking sheet) generously with butter or cooking spray.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl (or stand mixer), beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin puree on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Combine: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined and smooth. Do not overmix.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly into the corners. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. (If you frost it while warm, the frosting will melt and slide off).
- Make Frosting: While the cake cools, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy and spreadable.
Notes
- Pan Size Matters: A jelly roll pan (15×10) is standard. If you use a smaller 9×13 pan, the bars will be much thicker (more like cake) and will need to bake for 30–35 minutes.
Room Temp Dairy: Ensure your butter and cream cheese are truly soft before mixing the frosting to avoid white lumps.
Sifting Sugar: Sifting the powdered sugar prevents grainy frosting.
Chill Before Cutting: For the neatest squares, chill the frosted cake in the fridge for 30 minutes before slicing.
