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Paula Deen Pumpkin Bars

Paula Deen pumpkin bars are tall, butter-rich Southern-style dessert squares baked until set, then topped with a thick cream cheese frosting. The spiced pumpkin batter bakes up tender, and the generous frosting finishes with a pecan garnish on each bar.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bars
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
For Paula Deen's cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 24 pecan halves for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin bars
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until evenly combined.
  3. Beat eggs, vegetable oil, and pumpkin puree together until smooth.
  4. Fold the egg-pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients until no dry streaks remain.
  5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the center looks set.
  7. Cool completely before frosting.
Make and spread the cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat cream cheese and unsalted butter until very smooth.
  2. Beat in vanilla extract.
  3. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
  4. Spread generously over the cooled bars.
  5. Press a pecan half onto each bar for garnish.

Notes

Pro tip: make sure the bars cool completely before adding frosting so the cream cheese topping stays thick and doesn’t melt into the layers. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freezer option: freeze unfrosted bars up to 2 months, then thaw and frost after thawing. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.