Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Bars Recipe

This Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Bars Recipe is a moist and easy recipe, which uses canned pumpkin and a cream cheese glaze. It’s the perfect fall treat, ready in about 1 hour 45 minutes.

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Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Bars Ingredients

For the Bars:

1 box (15.3 oz) Betty Crocker Fiber One apple cinnamon muffin mix (or similar)
2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 eggs

For the Glaze and Topping:

1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chopped walnuts

How To Make Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Bars

Prep Oven and Make Batter: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Spray the bottom of a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir the muffin mix, pumpkin puree, water, oil, and eggs together with a spoon just until they are blended. The batter may be lumpy.
Bake the Bars: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 17 to 21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool Completely: Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack for about 1 hour. This is a crucial step.
Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, use an electric mixer or a whisk to mix the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and vanilla until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk until it reaches a drizzly consistency.
Garnish and Serve: Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled bars, then sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. Cut into 16 squares to serve.

Recipe Tips

Why are my bars so dense? You likely overmixed the batter. Muffin mix (like pancake mix) is designed to be stirred just until moistened. Overmixing develops the gluten and will make your final bars tough and dense instead of light and tender.
How do I know when the bars are done? The toothpick test is the most reliable. Insert a toothpick into the very center of the pan. If it comes out clean (with no wet batter), they are done. The edges will also start to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Can I use fresh pumpkin puree? You can, but canned pumpkin (make sure it’s 100% pure pumpkin, not pie filling) is highly recommended. Canned pumpkin has a very consistent, thick texture and moisture level, which ensures the bars won’t be too wet.
How do I get a smooth, lump-free glaze? The secret is to use softened cream cheese. If your cream cheese is cold, it will be lumpy. Let it sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Sifting your powdered sugar will also guarantee a perfectly smooth result.

What To Serve With Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Bars

These bars are a perfect fall breakfast, snack, or dessert. They pair wonderfully with:

A hot cup of coffee
A cup of hot or cold apple cider
A cold glass of milk
A scoop of vanilla ice cream (for dessert)

How To Store Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Bars

Refrigerate: Because of the cream cheese glaze, these bars must be stored in the refrigerator. Cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap, or store the cut squares in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Serve: They are delicious served cold, straight from the fridge, or you can let them sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Bars Nutrition Facts

(Per bar, assuming 16 bars)

Calories: ~280 kcal
Total Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 35mg
Sodium: 310mg
Total Carbohydrate: 34g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 22g
Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Can I use a different muffin mix?

Yes, this is a great base for experimenting. A spice cake mix, carrot cake mix, or even a yellow cake mix would also work well with the pumpkin.

Can I bake this in a 9×13 pan?

You can, but the bars will be very thin. You would need to double the entire recipe (bars and glaze) for a 9×13 pan.

Why did my glaze melt and get runny?

Your bars were not completely cool. The cake must be 100% at room temperature before you add the cream cheese glaze, or the heat from the bars will melt it.