These gluten-free pumpkin bars feature a soft, spiced pumpkin sheet cake topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting. They make the perfect gluten-free fall dessert!
From the type of gluten-free flour to use to dairy-free substitutes, this post has all the tips and tricks you’ll need to make gluten-free pumpkin bars. They turn out soft, but sturdy and are loaded with pumpkin spice flavor.
These gluten-free pumpkin bars are everything I love about fall. They’re soft, spiced and topped with a pillowy layer of cream cheese frosting. This is an easy recipe that’s full of fall flavor – you’ll want to make it all season!
I also love these pumpkin bars because they’re great to make for a crowd. One sheet pan can be sliced and served up for any fall/holiday gathering. Be warned they disappear fast! 😉
VIDEO: How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars
It’s hard to pick just one favorite gluten-free pumpkin dessert! For more gluten-free pumpkin recipes, try these gluten-free pumpkin snickerdoodles, this gluten-free pumpkin roll or gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake.
From gluten-free pumpkin donuts, gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes, gluten-free pumpkin cream cheese muffins, and gluten-free pumpkin muffins to the perfect gluten-free pumpkin pie (with a homemade gf pie crust!) there is no shortage of recipes for pumpkin season on this blog. Check out my whole collection of gluten-free pumpkin recipes here.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These pumpkin bars are made with easy-to-find pantry staples. Here are a few more notes on the key ingredients. If you have any additional questions feel free to leave me a comment below!
- Gluten-free 1:1 Baking Flour: I like to use a high quality gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Flour in my baked goods. Look for a blend that contains xanthan gum for best results. These pumpkin bars will not turn out with almond flour or coconut flour as a substitute.
- Canned Pumpkin: You’ll use the whole 15oz can of pumpkin for this recipe! Be sure to select 100% pumpkin puree rather than canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: For that classic pumpkin flavor! You can swap in 2 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices if you have it on hand.
- Oil: Use any kind of oil you like! I usually use vegetable oil or coconut oil.
- Sugar: White cane sugar and brown sugar help with the consistency of the batter and the structure of the final cake. Unfortunately maple syrup or coconut sugar won’t work in this recipe.
You might also like these recipes for gluten-free pumpkin bread, gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip bread and gluten-free pumpkin cake.
Make the Cake
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.
Tip: Set out your butter/cream cheese when you start making the cake so they can be at room temperature when it’s time to make the frosting.
- In a seperate bowl or measuring cup combine the pumpkin, milk and vanilla extract, then whisk together until smooth.
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, white sugar and brown sugar. Mix on medium high for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy and pale in color.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly drizzle in the oil. Mix until combined.
- With the mixer running on low, add 1/2 of the the dry ingredient mixture. Mix until combined then add 1/2 of the pumpkin mixture.
- Repeat with the rest of the dry ingredients and pumpkin, mixing well after each addition. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed together.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread out into an even layer using an offset spatula. Bake at 375F for about 25-30 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when pressed lightly. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
What Pan to Use for Pumpkin Bars
It’s best to use a 10x15x1 inch jelly roll pan for pumpkin bars. If you don’t have a jelly roll pan, you can also use a 9×13 pan. The bars will need to bake for an additional 5 minutes and will be slightly thicker.
Dairy-Free Pumpkin Bars
Dairy-free option? These pumpkin bars can be made dairy-free with a few substitutions. Here are my favorite dairy-free substitutions.
- Almond Milk – in place of milk
- Earth Balance Buttery Sticks – or vegan butter of choice in place of butter
- Kite Hill Almond Cream Cheese – in place of cream cheese
You also might like this full collection of gluten-free thanksgiving recipes.
Storage
It’s best to chill these bars for 30 minutes before slicing. These gluten-free pumpkin squares should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can take them out a few minutes before serving, but I prefer to eat them slightly cold!
More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes
Happy Baking! If you try this recipe be sure to leave me a comment and star rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour 230g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Other:
- 15 oz pumpkin puree one small can
- 1/4 cup milk 62 grams (or almond milk)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup white sugar 160 grams
- 1/2 cup brown sugar 110 grams
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil 130 grams
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar 340 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the Pumpkin Bars:
- Preheat oven to 375F and generously grease a 10x15x1 inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray. (PS – This is a good time to set out your butter/cream cheese for the frosting so it's at room temperature when you need it!)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.
- In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine the pumpkin, milk and vanilla extract, then whisk together until smooth.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, white sugar and brown sugar. Mix on medium high for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy and pale in color. With the mixer running on low, slowly drizzle in the oil. Mix until combined.
- With the mixer running on low, add 1/2 of the the dry ingredient mixture. Mix until combined then add 1/2 of the pumpkin mixture. Repeat with the rest of the dry ingredients and pumpkin, mixing well after each addition. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed together.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread out into an even layer using an offset spatula. Bake at 375F for about 25-30 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when pressed lightly. Cool completely before frosting.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Using a hand or stand mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese until combined. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Beat on low then switch to high for about three minutes or until light and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl then mix for another 30 seconds or so.
- Smooth the frosting over the cooled pumpkin bars. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
I use KA Baking measure for measure flour. It measures at 120 grams per cup. Your recipe calls for 1 1/2 Cups or 230 grams. According to King Arthur’s guide that would be 180 grams. Which measurement should I use?
Hi Elizabeth, this is a very common question that comes up! We find that 1 cup of KAF weighs much closer to 150 grams. At the end of the day a cup measurement is subjective – and we think the manufacturer doesn’t realize gluten-free flour is denser than traditional wheat flour. Traditional wheat flour is 120 grams/cup. Erin likes to make her recipes so they will turn out for both people using cup measurements and grams measurements so we would recommend sticking with the grams measurement the recipe calls for to ensure the best results. We hope this helps!
Hi! I know this is a silly question! Being a gluten free recipe! Can you make these with regular all purpose flour?
Hi Desiree, yes you can use regular flour. We haven’t tested it out ourselves, but you should be able to use it in place of the gf flour at a 1:1 ratio. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
The bars are delicious! Is there a way I can make the flavors in the bars stronger? I felt like the cream cheese overpowered the pumpkin and spices a bit. Still very good, but just wondering if I can make any adjustments to make the flavors in the bars stand out more?
Thanks! Love your recipes!
The cake is wonderful. Can I freeze the cake without frosting it and then add the frosting the day I serve it? I would like to freeze it for 5 days.
Hi Mary, yes you can definitely freeze them without the frosting and then add that the day of. We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Happy baking!
Hi! This recipe is amazing!! I’ve made it several times and it is a huge crowd pleaser! I do have one request. In the recipe you fail to mention what stage you need to add eggs and I have had a few times now where I had to scrap the cake back into the mixer and add the eggs! Eek! They need to be added during the creamed oil/ sugar stage. (Which fyi coconut oil is amazing here)
Thanks for this awesome gluten free recipe!
Hi Liz, we’re so glad you loved the recipe! The eggs are included in step 4 on the recipe card, along with the sugar. We hope this helps! Happy baking!
Made these according to the recipe and they turned perfectly. Best GF bars I have ever made. No icing as I don’t like icing but just a light sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar on top before baking gives a nice crunch.
Thanks for your excellent recipes.
We’re so glad you loved the recipe, Estelle! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive feedback with us. Happy baking!
Easy to follow instructions. Delicious, moist pumpkin bars. Would never guess they are gluten-free. Entire family enjoyed them. Thanks for the great recipe!
We’re so glad they were such a hit with the whole family, Robert! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us. Happy baking!
Hi. Thanks for the great GF recipes. Can you recommend a good glaze in lieu of cream cheese frosting.
Made these for my daughter that has celiac disease. She said these are much better than the ones she drives 30 minutes for at a bakery! And her husband said it’s the best thing I’ve ever baked (btw I’ve made him some delicious food over the years )
Wow, that’s such a compliment, Sherry! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us!
This is very good! It’s tender and fluffy. I used a 9×13 and it worked perfectly. I had to bake it about 35 minutes. I only used half of the frosting and I even cut the recipe back. I have a bunch leftover. Even in the jelly roll pan it would have been way too much for me. It’s a matter of taste I guess. I think the nutritional information is incorrect because I read the label on the pumpkin and it has more of all the listed nutritional value. It’s healthier than the information provided. We have to get all the nutrients possible with sweets. Overall a good recipe. Thanks!
Hi Belinda, we’re so glad you loved the pumpkin bars! Thank you for your feedback. We checked the nutritional information and you’re right, the pumpkin wasn’t calculating correctly. It has been updated. Happy baking!
could I substitute applesauce for the oil in the bars?
Hi Terri, we haven’t tried applesauce in this one. If you give it try, keep in mind it may make the cake denser and will add to the sweetness of the cake. We’d love to hear how it goes!
Can you leave out the cloves and ginger? (allergy) If so, what would you replace them with?
Thank you.
Hi Cece, you can definitely leave out the spices, if needed! The cake will still be delicious, but it will have a more straightforward pumpkin flavor. We hope you enjoy the pumpkin bars!
I usually order my flour from Amazon. It arrives quickly and saves carrying around 4-5 lbs of flour at the grocery store! ! I have found that their Namaste flour works very well too, but I do like King Arthur, and I believe it comes in 2 or 4 lbs bag.
Hi Valerie, we love the ease of ordering through Amazon too – especially the King Arthur GF Measure-for-Measure Flour! It’s good to know Namaste works well too. We hope you enjoy the pumpkin bars!
Can you use almond flour for these?
Hi Jen, unfortunately these pumpkin bars will not turn out right with almond flour. They require a 1:1 gf flour blend with xanthan gum. We like King Arthur’s for this recipe. Thank you for your question!
Can I use butter instead of canola oil?
Hi Rachel, we usually use vegetable oil or coconut oil in this recipe. You can definitely give butter a try, but keep in mind that you’ll most likely need less butter than the oil measurement. Also, the swap may impact texture and the bars may not be as moist. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
These pumpkin bars are delicious, and easy to make! I love when I can make something gluten free and everyone enjoys as much as me!
Thank you so much for sharing your delicious gf recipes!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sheila! Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Can these be made in advance and frozen?
Definitely, Shelly! For best results, freeze the pumpkin bars without the frosting, but it will work if you need to freeze them with the frosting too. They are also good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.