Vegan Pumpkin Bars
Celebrate autumn in style with these vegan pumpkin bars! They have a moist, tender pumpkin base oozing with fall aromatics. Paired with a tangy, spiced cream cheese frosting on top, they’re sure to be a hit during the holiday season with vegans and non-vegans alike.
🧡 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Texture perfection: The bars offer a soft and moist crumb, but it’s sturdier than a traditional cake. Plus, the creamy frosting adds the perfect velvety touch.
- Seasonal flavors: These vegan pumpkin bars are loaded with pumpkin spice in both the bars and the cream cheese frosting.
- One bowl: With a prep time of just 10 minutes and a one-bowl batter, you’ll have these bars in your belly in no time!
- Easy to double: This recipe includes measurements for a 9×9 pan, but you can easily double it and make it in a 10×15 jelly roll pan to feed a crowd!
If you love vegan pumpkin bars, you should really check out our vegan pumpkin bread, vegan pumpkin cookies, vegan pumpkin pie, and vegan pumpkin banana muffins.
🎃 Spiced vegan pumpkin bars
These easy vegan pumpkin bars are the picture of aromatic fall baking! They feature a soft, moist crumb topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting everyone will go crazy for. We’ve been testing this seasonal grab-and-go treat for a while and couldn’t be happier with the results!
Plus, they are one of the easiest baking recipes on our site! The batter comes together in one bowl and they bake up in 25 minutes. If you consider yourself “not much of a baker,” this is your chance to shine!
Whether you’re bringing these vegan pumpkin bars to a festive potluck, preparing them for a low-fuss Thanksgiving dessert, or enjoying one solo on a cozy evening, they never fail to impress!
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Vegan buttermilk: Provides moisture to the batter and reacts with baking soda to give rise to the bars. Use soy milk for the best results, but pea or oat milk will also work. Check out our vegan buttermilk recipe for more tips and information.
- Sweeteners: We use a mixture of granulated and brown to add sweetness with a rich molasses undertone. Make sure both are organic or vegan-certified. You can also use coconut sugar for a refined sugar-free option.
- Pumpkin purée: Use 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling! We recommend canned purée for consistent results, but homemade will work too.
- Vegetable oil: Gives these vegan pumpkin bars a moist crumb without weighing them down. We prefer grapeseed oil for this recipe. You can also use melted coconut oil or even applesauce for a lower-fat option.
- Vanilla extract: Adds depth of flavor and a sweet aroma. Use pure vanilla extract!
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the bars, giving them structure while maintaining a tender texture.
- Baking soda & powder: We use both leavening agents to help the bars rise. Make sure they are well within their expiry dates and stored in airtight containers.
- Salt: Prevents falt-tasting bars. Use fine-grain salt for an even distribution.
- Spices: We use pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon to amplify the festive flavors in both the batter and frosting. We suggest making your own pumpkin spice blend with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
- Tofutti cream cheese: For the frosting. Tofutti is our go-to brand for baking, but Kite Hill or Trader Joe’s cream cheese should work just as well.
- Vegan butter: Also for the frosting. A few good brands for frosting include Earth Balance, Melt, and Miyokos Creamery. You can use spreadable or stick butter.
- Powdered sugar: Also known as icing sugar or glass sugar, this sweetens and thickens the frosting. You can make your own powdered sugar by blending a cup of granulated sugar and a tablespoon of cornstarch together.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make vegan pumpkin bars
Step 1: Mix the batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the vegan buttermilk, sugars, pumpkin purée, oil, and vanilla until smooth and well combined. Sift the flour, leavening agents, salt, and spices directly into the wet mixture.
Sifting helps achieve lump-free batter and a lighter texture in the final product. Make sure not to overmix the batter, which can result in dense bars.
Step 2: Bake the bars
Pour the batter into a greased 9×9 pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake the bars until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool in the pan. You can also chill them in the fridge to speed up the process!
Step 3: Make the frosting
You can enjoy these bars as-is or with a dusting of powdered sugar on top. Or, you can make a cream cheese frosting because everything is better with cream cheese frosting!
Beat the vegan butter and cream cheese on high until smooth and creamy. Then, add the spices, vanilla, and sugar and beat on low until combined. Turn the speed up again until the frosting is light and airy.
Step 4: Assembly
When the bars have cooled, add the frosting on top and spread it out evenly. To help firm up the frosting, chill the bars in the fridge for another half an hour before slicing.
We love to add a sprinkle of pumpkin spice or cinnamon sugar on top for a hint of extra flavor in every bite. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this vegan pumpkin bars recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🌡️ Storage & reheating
Keep your vegan pumpkin bars fresh by following these simple storage tips:
- Fridge: Store the bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The cold maintains the frosting’s texture, but the bars will dry out the longer they sit in the fridge.
- Freezer: If you’ve made a large batch or want to save some for later, these bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. Ensure they’re well-wrapped or kept in a sealed container to avoid freezer burn. We also suggest freezing them before frosting if you can, then add fresh frosting once they’ve defrosted.
- Prep ahead: The bars and frosting can be made a day in advance. Store both separately in the fridge, then assemble them when you’re ready to serve.
♻️ Variations
- Chocolate: Add mini vegan chocolate chips to your batter for a pumpkin-chocolate treat like our vegan chocolate chip pumpkin cookies.
- Sprinkles: Add festive sprinkles to the frosting for a colorful touch. This is especially fun around Halloween!
- Gluten-free: Replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. Just be aware the texture might vary slightly. If you’re on the hunt for the best gluten-free flour, our top choices are Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Baking.
- Nuts: Stir in chopped walnuts or pecans for an added crunch.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Use a scale: For the most accurate and consistent baking results, use a kitchen scale and weigh the ingredients. If you don’t own one, make sure to use the spoon and level method for your flour.
- Room temperature: Make sure your wet ingredients, especially the vegan buttermilk, are at room temperature before mixing the batter.
- Sifting: Sift the dry ingredients to prevent lumps and ensure a light bar texture.
- Avoid overmixing: Overworking the batter will lead to dense bars. Fold just until combined.
- Pan preparation: Don’t forget to grease or line your pan with parchment paper for easy removal and clean cuts.
- Check for doneness: Always check a few minutes before the timer goes off to prevent overbaking. You can check the bars by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean (or with a few crumbs attached), it’s ready!
- Cool completely: Before frosting, ensure the bars are entirely cooled to prevent a runny frosting mess.
- Adjust the frosting: If your frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar a quarter cup at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Slice with a clean knife: For neat slices, clean your knife after each cut.
💬 FAQ
The consistency can vary based on the pumpkin purée’s moisture level. If it seems too thick, add more vegan buttermilk a tablespoon at a time to thin it out.
Sinking bars might be a result of overmixing the batter, expired leavening agents, or an inaccurate oven temperature. Use fresh baking powder and soda (or store them properly), don’t overwork the batter, and invest in an oven thermometer to double-check the accuracy of your oven.
We recommend making this recipe with Tofutti cream cheese as it’s one of the best cream cheese brands for vegan baking recipes. Most other brands should work, but we do not recommend Violife for anything baking-related.
🍂 More fall baking
If love these vegan pumpkin bars and are in the mood for more fall flavors, check out our most popular desserts like these:
- Vegan Sweet Potato Pie: Velvety-smooth filling with warming spices and a homemade crust.
- Vegan Apple Cake: Fresh, juicy apples combined with a moist crumb.
- Vegan Apple Crisp: Sweet, tender apples with a crispy streusel topping.
- Vegan Apple Cider Donuts: Baked vegan donuts with homemade apple cider.
- Vegan Cinnamon Rolls: Sweet, gooey, and full of spiced goodness!
- Vegan Snickerdoodles: Chewy snickerdoodles infused with a delicate spice.
The Best Vegan Pumpkin Bars
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Spatula
- 9×9 baking pan
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
Wet
- ½ cup vegan buttermilk
- ½ cup organic brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons organic granulated sugar
- 7 ½ ounces ½ small can pumpkin purée
- ⅓ cup neutral vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Frosting
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter (softened)
- 4 ounces Tofutti cream cheese (softened)
- 1 ½ – 2 cups powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9 baking pan with cooking spray or vegan butter. Or, line the bottom with parchment paper.
Batter
- In a mixing bowl, combine the vegan buttermilk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin purée, oil, and vanilla. Whisk everything together until smooth.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice into the bowl of wet ingredients. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula until no flour streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix.
Bake
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan, making sure to spread it out evenly with a spatula.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the center is springy when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
- Remove the bars from the oven, set the pan on a wire rack, and let them cool in the pan for about 45-60 minutes. You can also chill them in the fridge to speed up the process.
Frosting
- With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the vegan butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy, then add the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and powdered sugar. Beat on low until the sugar is incorporated, then switch to high for another 1-2 minutes to achieve a light and creamy texture.
Assembly
- When the bars have cooled, add the frosting on top and spread it out evenly. To help firm up the frosting, chill the bars in the fridge for another 30-60 minutes before slicing and serving. You can garnish them with extra pumpkin spice or cinnamon sugar if you’d like. Happy eating!
Video
Notes
- Use a scale: For the most accurate and consistent baking results, use a kitchen scale and weigh the ingredients. If you don’t own one, make sure to use the spoon and level method for your flour.
- Room temperature: Make sure your wet ingredients, especially the vegan buttermilk, are at room temperature before mixing the batter.
- Sifting: Sift the dry ingredients to prevent lumps and ensure a light bar texture.
- Avoid overmixing: Overworking the batter will lead to dense bars. Fold just until combined.
- Pan preparation: Don’t forget to grease or line your pan with parchment paper for easy removal and clean cuts.
- Check for doneness: Always check a few minutes before the timer goes off to prevent overbaking. You can check the bars by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean (or with a few crumbs attached), it’s ready!
- Cool completely: Before frosting, ensure the bars are entirely cooled to prevent a runny frosting mess.
- Adjust the frosting: If your frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar a quarter cup at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Slice with a clean knife: For neat slices, clean your knife after each cut.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Justine Drosdovech is a food writer, photographer, and one of the founders of Broke Bank Vegan. She is a self-taught plant-based chef but uses her healthcare background to craft dishes that are both delicious and nourishing.
What a fantastic recipe! My family was delighted when I made them yesterday. Thank you for a great recipe!
Hi Marina,
We’re so glad you and your family loved the recipe! Thanks for leaving your feedback 🙂