These pumpkin gooey bars are the ultimate autumn dessert: a chewy, buttery spice-cake base topped with a tangy, gooey pumpkin layer. They bake all at once, are easier than a traditional pumpkin pie, and make a crowd-pleasing addition to Halloween parties or the Thanksgiving table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Pumpkin desserts are the heart of fall, and these bars stand out for several reasons:
- Simple to make — Everything bakes together, so you skip the fuss of rolling crusts or assembling multiple components.
- Layered flavor — A spiced, buttery cake base supports a smooth pumpkin and cream-cheese filling, delivering both warmth and a pleasant tang.
- Comforting Midwest classic — These are the bar form of the beloved “gooey” or butter cake: soft, slightly gooey on top, and tender below.
Ingredients
Below are the key ingredients you’ll need. Quantities are given in the recipe card area.
- Unsalted butter — used melted for the cake base.
- Pumpkin pie spice — adds the classic warming spice notes to the pumpkin layer; the cake base uses cinnamon.
- Cream cheese — use full-fat and bring to room temperature for a smooth filling.
- Powdered sugar — for the cream-cheese mixture.
- Pure pumpkin puree — not pumpkin pie filling. You may have leftovers; puree keeps well for other recipes.
Substitutions
If you don’t have premixed pumpkin pie spice, combine the following ground spices: ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ⅛ teaspoon allspice, and ⅛ teaspoon cloves.
How to Make This Recipe
Start by lining an 8×8-inch pan with parchment and preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C).
One: Whisk together the granulated sugar, kosher salt, egg yolk, and melted butter.
Two: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon together, then add to the wet ingredients.
Three: Fold with a rubber spatula until the batter is thick, uniform, and free of flour streaks.
Four: Press the spice-cake batter evenly into the bottom and all corners of the prepared pan.
Five: In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the room-temperature cream cheese and powdered sugar on low until combined, then increase speed to medium briefly.
Six: Add the egg, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice to the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Pour this pumpkin filling over the pressed cake base and spread evenly. Bake until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly — about 25–30 minutes. Cool on a rack for an hour, then refrigerate uncovered for several hours to finish setting. Dust with powdered sugar before slicing if desired.
Hot tip! Avoid overbaking: the center should be slightly jiggly but not liquid. The bars will continue to set as they cool and will firm up in the refrigerator.
Expert Tips
- Press the cake layer fully into the corners so the pumpkin filling stays on top and doesn’t run down the sides.
- Cool at room temperature first, then refrigerate. More time in the fridge yields cleaner slices and firmer texture.
- Use a large, thin, sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts to get neat, attractive bars.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Because the filling contains cream cheese and to preserve the texture, store the bars in the refrigerator.
Underbaking is usually the cause: the pumpkin filling needs enough oven time to set so it stays intact when cut. Aim for set edges with a slightly jiggly center and finish chilling in the fridge.
Storage
Store the bars covered in the refrigerator for up to one week. Keeping them in the baking pan prevents plastic or foil from touching the tops. These are best served and enjoyed cold.
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
Pumpkin Sour Cream Muffins-
Pumpkin Sour Cream Coffee Cake
-
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
-
Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust
Suggested Tools
If you make this recipe, tag @thecozyplum on Instagram or Facebook and leave a star rating below — we’d love to hear how yours turned out!
📖Recipe
Pumpkin Gooey Bars
Callan Wenner
Equipment
- 8×8″ pan
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer (paddle) or handheld mixer
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
Spice Cake
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (160 g)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (113 g)
Pumpkin Layer
- 6 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (180 g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree (114 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Line an 8×8″ pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, egg yolk, and melted butter until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold with a rubber spatula until thick and smooth.
- Press the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan, getting into the corners.
- In a mixer fitted with the paddle (or with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on low to combine, then increase to medium for about a minute.
- Scrape down the bowl and add the egg, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until smooth.
- Pour the pumpkin filling over the pressed cake base and spread evenly.
- Bake 25–30 minutes on the center rack, until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly but is not liquid.
- Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate uncovered for 3–4 hours (longer is fine) to finish setting.
- Use a large sharp knife, wiping it clean between cuts, for neat slices. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
Store covered in the fridge for up to one week. These bars are best served cold.
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, mix ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ⅛ teaspoon allspice, and ⅛ teaspoon cloves.
For cleaner slices, press down and then slide the knife toward you instead of lifting after each cut.
Nutritional Information (estimate per serving)
- Calories: 191 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Sodium: 187 mg
- Sugar: 21 g