This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.
Pumpkin roll bars have all the things you love about pumpkin rolls without the hassle! They have perfectly spiced pumpkin cake with a smooth cream cheese swirl that will make this your new favorite fall dessert!
Pumpkin season is seriously the best! We all love summer, but when the weather changes, we get to wear our cozy sweaters and eat all of the delicious pumpkin recipes! Try these melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pecan pie bars, and the best pumpkin roll!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Festive Flavor: The spiced pumpkin cake with a cream cheese layer swirled in is the ultimate fall flavor combination!
- Simple Recipe: You’ll love how quickly and easily this recipe comes together. If you love pumpkin rolls but don’t want all the work, this recipe is for you!
- Family-Friendly: Your whole family will love these pumpkin roll bars. They will love how moist and delicious the cake is mixed with the cream cheese layer!
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Pumpkin Roll Bars
Don’t let the list of ingredients intimidate you—most of them are spices and things you already have in your cupboards! These bars will come together in no time! Scroll to the bottom of the post for exact measurements.
Pumpkin Batter
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and moisture.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides a sweetness that balances the spices.
- Eggs: These are used to bind the ingredients together.
- Pumpkin Puree: Gives the bars their festive fall orange color and adds moisture and flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle sweet flavor that complements the pumpkin spices.
- Water: Provides moisture so the bars are soft and fluffy.
- All Purpose Flour: Creates the base of the dough and provides the structure.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and is a cozy spice.
- Ground Cloves: Deepens the flavor with its pungent, sweet spiciness.
- Ground Nutmeg: Adds a nutty sweetness that gives the bars a warm cozy flavor.
- Ground Ginger: Gives the bars a sharp spice that balances the sweetness.
- Baking Soda: Helps the dough rise and makes the bars light and fluffy.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent.
- Salt: Ehances the flavors.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream Cheese: Provides a rich, tangy, smooth texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Complements the tangy cream cheese with its sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a note of sweetness to balance the cream cheese.
- Egg: Help bind the mixture and provide a fluffy texture helping the cream cheese layer to set properly.
Pumpkin Roll Bar Instructions
If you love pumpkin rolls as much as I do but don’t have time to make them, this recipe is for you! Pumpkin spice goodness mixed with a smooth cream cheese layer—it’s divine!
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with pan spray. If you’d like, you may line the pan with parchment paper and then spray it with pan spray to make it easier to remove the bars later. Once that’s done, set the pan aside.
- Beat: Use a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and pale. Add the eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, and water and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until fully combined.
- Spread Pumpkin Mixture: Spread ⅔ of the pumpkin batter evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Cream Cheese Filling: Prepare the cream cheese filling by beating the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg together until smooth. Spread this evenly over the pumpkin batter in the pan. Then, dollop the remaining pumpkin batter over the top to finish the layering.
- Swirl and Bake: Use a butter knife to swirl the cream cheese mixture and the top layer of pumpkin batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly pressed on. Cool the pumpkin roll bars completely before slicing and serving.
Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Roll Bars
Follow my tips below to get the best results! These bars really aren’t hard, but I’m here for you every step of the way!
- Pumpkin Pureé: Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree! The cans of pumpkin pie filling look very similar, but they won’t work for this recipe.
- Room Temperature: Use room temperature ingredients, especially for the cream cheese filling. This will help everything blend well and not leave chunks in your cake or cream cheese. I like to set the cream cheese on the counter a couple of hours before I plan to bake, but you can also unwrap it and heat it in a microwave-safe bowl for 20 seconds or so.
- Evenly Incorporate: Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you make the pumpkin batter and cream cheese filling, and then mix again. This will make sure nothing gets stuck to the sides and isn’t evenly incorporated.
- Love Pumpkin Spice Flavor? If you like stronger pumpkin spice flavor, I recommend doubling all the spices in the cake!
- DON’T Overswirl: Don’t over-swirl the batters together. You only need to make a few passes through with the butter knife to get a good swirl of cream cheese and pumpkin. Be careful not to drop the knife too far into the batter! You only want to swirl the top two layers.
Storing Leftover Pumpkin Roll Bars
- Countertop or Fridge: Once the bars have finished baking, store any leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days. If you’d like to extend their freshness, you can also refrigerate them for up to 7 days.
- Freeze: You can also freeze these pumpkin roll bars for up to 3 months. Either freeze them whole or slice them into individual portions. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let the bars thaw in the refrigerator overnight. For individual bars, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for a few hours. Once they’ve solidified, transfer them to freezer bags or an airtight container, layering parchment between each bar to prevent sticking.
Pumpkin Desserts To Try
The first signs of fall include leaves changing color, earlier sunsets, kids going back to school, and, of course, all things pumpkin spice! Here are some of my favorite pumpkin desserts you can make to kick off the fall season with pumpkin flair!
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Pumpkin Roll Bars
Pumpkin roll bars have all the things you love about pumpkin rolls without all of the hassle! They have perfectly spiced pumpkin cake with a smooth cream cheese swirl that will make this your new favorite fall dessert!
Ingredients
Pumpkin Batter
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. You can also line the pan with parchment paper if you prefer. Set aside.
- Use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and pale. Add the eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, and water and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Spread ⅔ of the pumpkin batter evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg. Using an electric hand mixer, beat together until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the pumpkin batter in the pan. Spoon the remaining pumpkin batter over the top.
- Use a butter knife to swirl the cream cheese layer and the top layer of pumpkin batter.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly pressed. Cool the pumpkin roll bars completely before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
Originally Posted on 10/15/2012
Updated on 8/28/2024
Nutrition
Calories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 219mgPotassium: 159mgFiber: 2gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 6004IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
This recipe is a winner. Very delicious and moist. They hit the spot for that sweet pumpkin craving.
Made these last night for a work potluck and these were a huge hit!! They were very moist, delicious and easy to make! Highly recommend for any holiday get together or just for dessert!
I made these for work tomorrow. Do I need to refrigerate them over night?
Yes, these would be okay to refrigerate because of the cream cheese. Enjoy work tomorrow!
These are soooooo good. I made them gluten free by using almond flour, otherwise followed the recipe. Was wondering if these would freeze. Concerned about the cream cheese in them. thanks for the recipe!
Can you make these cupcakes instead of making it as bars cupcake and should I spray the cupcake papers
YAY!! That would be awesome! I have not tried it that way. You will have to let me know how it turns out. I am not sure if the cupcakes will hold as well but I think it is a great idea! XOXO
I am getting ready to make this and I was just wondering, you show using parchment paper in the video, but spray the pan in the recipe, do you recommend one way or the other as the best way?
Either way is great! It is a preference most the time. Double spray will not hurt either ;)! XOXO
How much pumpkin pie spice would you use in place of the spices?
I would recommend doing 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. If you need more flavoring you can add another 1/2 teaspoon. Hope that helps! Let me know how it turns out! XOXO
These look so delicious!
Can they be made ahead of time and frozen? Any special tips for that?
Yes, you can;)!! XOXO
How many servings/bars does this recipe make?
This makes about 12 to 24 pieces depending on your cuts.
Could you use pumpkin spice instead of the individual spices?
Yes, of course! That would be great.
Yum!! So easy and so moist. This is a keeper. For it replaces
Cream cheese frosted pumpkin bars and fewer steps with the same
Delicious outcome
Very good! I made 2 batches, one as the 9×13 and one as cupcakes. Both great! I used roasted butternut squash, it ‘s what I had. I also tried 1/2 cup of brown sugar in the 1 1/2 cups of sugar in the second batch.! This worked well Thanks for the recipe
Hello- I made these and they were great. I just wanted to you know that I’m the directions it doesn’t say where or when to add the water…I added it to the batter when mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients!
Read Step 2 directions for when to add water
Turned out great…easy to make and yummy
Can I use almond flour or coconut flour infor making pumpkin rolls
Yes, that will work great! Thanks for following along with me! XOXO
Hello! I tried the recipe last night. I followed it to the ingredient minus a clover here added a pumpkin spice there. My mixture was not quite as liquidiy as shown in video so my swirls did not come out at all. I agree I may next time make the cream cheese filling a layer in the middle as the portions on top just didn’t look as pretty. Tastes amazing but not pretty. I too had to bake it longer for like 15 min longer. It’s so delicious I was hoping it would come as pretty but I will take delicious!