Pumpkin gooey butter bars are a decadent treat perfect for any fall or holiday occasion. This festive dessert features a buttery layer of cake and a creamy layer of sweet pumpkin filling.
This time of year is all about indulgent, decadent desserts and boy do I have one for you today.
These pumpkin gooey butter cake bars are one of the best seasonal desserts I have ever had and different from all the other desserts I’ve tried.
Think like a combination of cake and pumpkin pie but with extra richness from butter.
It’s perfect for dessert on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time you just want a really yummy fall dessert.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Cake mix– Use your favorite box mix. Make sure you use yellow cake.
- Butter– Melted
- Pumpkin puree– Make sure it’s not pumpkin pie filling but pumpkin puree.
- Eggs– At room temperature
- Cream cheese– Softened to room room temperature
- Powdered sugar– Not granulated
- Vanilla extract– Use real vanilla for the best flavor
- Ground cinnamon– For that fall flavor
How to Make
It might seem like there’s a lot that goes into it, but I promise these pumpkin butter bars are so easy to make!
To do it, start by preheating the oven to 350 F.
Then lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan and set it aside
Stir together the cake mix, melted butter, pumpkin puree and egg in a large mixing bowl (affiliate) until you have a thick, sticky batter.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and set aside
Then, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and a little of the pumpkin puree, then add the rest of the pumpkin and beat until smooth.
Once the cream cheese and pumpkin are combined into a smooth mixture, beat in the powdered sugar followed by the eggs, melted butter, vanilla and cinnamon.
Beat everything until completely blended together.
Pour the top layer onto the bottom layer in the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the center is set and not jiggly.
Once the center no longer jiggles, remove the pan from the oven and let it cool 30 minutes before allowing to chill completely in the fridge.
Slice and serve cold.
Enjoy!
Storing
Store these bars tightly covered in the baking dish in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Do not store them on the counter. Their ‘gooey’-ness can make them prone to mold if not refrigerated.
Can Gooey Pumpkin Butter Bars Be Frozen?
These bars are great to freeze so you can enjoy a pumpkin fix at a later date.
To freeze, let the bars cool completely, then slice into squares.
Wrap each square in wax paper, then place them in an airtight container or freezer-friendly ziplocking bag.
Freeze for up to three months.
Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin Instead Of Canned?
Yes!
If you prefer fresh homemade pumpkin puree to the canned variety, that’s perfectly fine.
For this recipe substitute using the exact same amount of cooled cooked pumpkin puree as you would canned.
Tips and Tricks
- The first layer of batter will be very thick and sticky. That’s ok!
- Use chocolate cake mix, or even a spice cake, instead of yellow to switch things up.
- Make sure you give these time to cool completely in the fridge before you dig in. I’d recommend at least 2 to 4 hours of chill time.
- Do not store the baked bars on the counter. The cream cheese won’t keep!
Other Pumpkin Desserts
These pumpkin gooey butter bars are a delicious dessert like no other! Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other pumpkin dessert recipes?
Try these:
- Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Pumpkin Pecan Dump Cake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
- Pumpkin Spice Earthquake Cake
- Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake
If you’ve tried these PUMPKIN GOOEY BUTTER BARS, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Bars
Ingredients
For The Bottom Layer
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup melted butter
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
For The Top Layer
- 1 8 oz brick cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F, lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan and set aside
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cake mix, melted butter, pumpkin puree and egg; batter will be very thick and sticky
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and set aside
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and a little of the pumpkin puree, then add the rest of the pumpkin and beat until smooth
- Add the powdered sugar and mix well, then add the eggs, melted butter, vanilla and cinnamon and mix until completely blended in
- Pour the top layer onto the bottom layer in the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the center is set and not jiggly
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool 30 minutes before allowing to chill completely in the fridge
- Slice and serve cold
Notes
- The first layer of batter will be very thick and sticky. That's ok!
- Use chocolate cake mix, or even a spice cake, instead of yellow to switch things up.
- Make sure you give these time to cool completely in the fridge before you dig in. I'd recommend at least 2 to 4 hours of chill time.
- Do not store the baked bars on the counter. The cream cheese won't keep!
Nutrition
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