Grandma's Pumpkin Bar Recipe

Pumpkin bars are a scrumptious dessert that are perfect for fall. The bars are moist and delicious, with a subtle pumpkin flavor that's perfect for the season. They are often topped with a creamy and tangy cream cheese frosting that complements the sweetness of the bars. Together, this combination creates a decadent treat that's sure to delight your taste buds.

September 1st to me, means that it's ok to start posting pumpkin recipes and Halloween recipes!  All the major foodie sites out there are already talking about what pumpkin items are coming to stores, so why can't I? I'm excited to get a hold of some of those and I already found the Ghiradelli Pumpkin Caramel squares. They are so delicious. Even Halo Top and Ben and Jerry's is getting in on the pumpkin hype with pumpkin ice cream.

This is my grandma's recipe for pumpkin bars and next time I'm halving the recipe because it makes a whole 18 X 12 in sheet pan full. That makes enough to feed a whole family for any event. Grandma recipes are really great and if you can get a hold of any of your Grandma's recipes please do. I have her sugar cookie recipe, pumpkin bar recipe, and apple pie bar recipe. I think it's kind of hilarious to see the use of Crisco in her recipes because now a days you don't even see Crisco being used in any recipe. Probably because it was super cheap back then?  This recipe just has a lot of oil and sugar in it and these pumpkin bars are super moist! I hope you like this recipe because my family does for sure!

Ingredients Needed

• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 can of pumpkin
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon of baking powder
• Frosting:
• 8 oz of cream cheese
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• ½ stick of butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

How to Make Pumpkin Bars

1. In a large bowl combine the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin. Stir until well combined. The batter will be very wet. Add in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until there are no clumps of flour to be seen.
2. Pour the batter into a large pan 18 X 12 and spread the batter evenly.
3. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Do the tooth pick test to see if the cake is done. It should not have any batter on it.
4. Let the cake cool.
5. In a small bowl make the frosting. Combine the butter and cream cheese and mix with a hand mixer. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread the frosting over the cake after it has cooled. Enjoy!
6. Cut the bars into 40 equal pieces. Serving size: 1 bar. 

Frequently Asked Questions and Tips 

Room temperature butter is key, let it sit out on the counter for a couple of hours before baking. You wll need butter for the frosting.

Read the recipe over a few times before baking or look up videos to see how it’s done properly. 

Get an Oven Thermometer - Not every oven is the same. Keep an oven thermometer inside to make sure the oven is at the proper temperature. Wondering why your cookies or baked goods didn’t get done? This might be the reason why. 

Don’t peek at whatever is baking in the oven! This lets out warm air.  

How to store leftovers: Always store leftovers in clean, food-grade containers. The type of container doesn’t really matter. Use zip lock, glass, plastic,  whatever!  Make sure to store any leftovers in an airtight container before putting it in the freezer or fridge. 

This can be prepped the day ahead.

More Great Recipes to Try:

• Air Fryer Onion Rings
• Grinder Salad Sandwich - Tiktok Recipe 
• Zero Point Cabbage Soup 
• Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
• French Fries in the Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Pickle Chips

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