Cream cheese and pumpkin roll bars have everything you love about a classic pumpkin roll - spiced pumpkin cake with a cream cheese swirl.
Now that autumn is in full swing, I need to introduce our cream cheese and pumpkin roll bars. They are the best pumpkin recipe to make if you love the classic pumpkin roll holiday dessert.
For me, making a pumpkin roll was very intimidating for the longest time, and still is a bit. If I feel like I don’t have the time or attention to put towards making a pumpkin roll it will not turn out and then I have just wasted my time and ingredients. Well with these pumpkin roll bars, you do not have to worry about any of that! It is the easiest pumpkin roll recipe you can make and still get that wonderful flavored dessert we all know and love.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
- Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Pumpkin puree
- Vanilla extract
- Water
- Flour
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Cream cheese
Equipment Needed
- 9×13 inch pan
- Hand or stand mixer
- Medium-sized mixing bowls (2)
- Spatula
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Butter/Table knife
How To Make Cream Cheese and Pumpkin Roll Bars
- When you are ready to make these pumpkin roll bars, start by preheating the oven to 350 ℉.
- Then prepare your 9×13 inch pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl beat together the softened butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until they are nice and smooth.
- Next you need to add in the eggs, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and water until it is all combined and well blended.
- Now in a separate mixing bowl you need to mix together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt making sure it is all mixed in well.
- Then add those dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (AKA the pumpkin and butter mixture) and combine it together well.
- Once that is mixed together, spread ⅔ of the pumpkin mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- In another small bowl mix the cream cheese, eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla with your mixer on medium speed.
- Continue mixing it all up until the frosting is nice and creamy.
- Then drop large spoonfuls of the cream cheese frosting across the whole pan and then try your best to spread it out throughout the pan with a spatula.
- Now drop the remaining pumpkin mixture over top of the cream cheese layer and then spread that out as best as you can.
- To create the swirl on top, use a butter knife and place the tip in batter and swill it around to give the cream cheese and pumpkin layers a little mix.
- Then place the pan in the oven for 30-35 minutes and let it bake until the center of the pumpkin batter springs back when you slightly push on it.
- Pull them out of the oven and let the bars cool completely, then cut them in squares and enjoy!
Recipe Modifications
- Gluten-Free: You can make this recipe gluten-free and have it turn out wonderfully. Take a look at the Pioneer Woman’s list of 16 best flour substitutes and pick the one that works for you and your dietary restrictions.
- Added Caramel: If you want to make this into a caramel cream cheese and pumpkin roll bars recipe, simply add 2-3 tablespoons of caramel syrup to the cream cheese mixture and then drizzle more caramel over top!
Explore More Delicious Pumpkin Brownies and Bars
We absolutely love pumpkin recipes, especially in the fall and winter. Check out our comprehensive collection of pumpkin recipes here.
- 2 Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies
- Chocolate Pumpkin Chess Squares
- Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Bars
- Magic Pumpkin Bars
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Cream Cheese and Pumpkin Roll Bars Recipe
Cream cheese and pumpkin roll bars have everything you love about a classic pumpkin roll – spiced pumpkin cake with a cream cheese swirl.
Serving servings
Ingredients
Cake
- 6 Tablespoons butter, (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree, 1 can
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 package, softened
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth.
- Beat in eggs, pumpkin, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and water until well blended.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin/butter mixture and combine until well blended.
- Spread about 2/3 of the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, 1 egg, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the pumpkin batter.
- Dollop the remaining pumpkin batter over the cream cheese batter and spread out as evenly as possible. Use a table knife to swirl together the cream cheese and top layer of pumpkin batter.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center of the pumpkin batter springs back when touched.
- Cool completely in pan, then cut into bars.
Notes
One thing that I like about pumpkin roll is that it is served cold, so we put these bars in the fridge and ate them cold- they were delicious! You could eat them at room temperature too. I also thought that they were yummier on the second day (if they last that long!)
Nutrition
Calories: 185 kcal · Carbohydrates: 30 g · Protein: 3 g · Fat: 6 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 40 mg · Sodium: 189 mg · Potassium: 98 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 19 g · Vitamin A: 3513 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 37 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
Thanks for this great post!
And you should know that the top layer swirling of this recipe makes me a little nervous. But I'm going give it a try. Can't wait to taste it. Thanks for the recipe.