Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars Dairy-Free Egg-Free
Pumpkin bars with no dairy, no eggs, and no nuts!
Including the best dairy-free cream cheese frosting you'll ever taste.
Plus, readers have even made these pumpkin bars gluten-free.
See the tips and recipe below!
When we first baked homemade, dairy-free pumpkin bars back in 2009, we used store-bought dairy-free cream cheese frosting.
Shortcuts are definitely an allergy mom's best friend.
But now, I also like to make the cream cheese frosting homemade.
See our popular dairy-free cream cheese frosting recipe below!
Either way, homemade or store-bought frosting, you're going to love these allergy-friendly pumpkin bars.
And so will your family and friends!
PUMPKIN BAR REVIEWS
"Wow! This recipe is surprisingly amazing!!! I will definitely make this again!"
"We made these for Thanksgiving and they were a hit! So easy and yummy! We substituted gluten-free 1:1 flour and it worked great! We made both the thin and thick versions and loved both, but a little partial to the thicker ones. Thank you so much for a great recipe!!!"
"We absolutely love these pumpkin bars. But more importantly the frosting!!!!!! I’m loving all the new recipes for my dairy free kiddo because these actually taste good for the whole family!!! I currently have a batch in the oven for the big family Christmas tomorrow."
DOES THIS RECIPE CALL FOR EGG REPLACER
Nope!
Not an egg or a replacer needed at all.
No flax egg. Not even an applesauce egg.
And despite that, it's perfectly moist and delicious.
Just have your favorite dairy-free milk, butter, and cream cheese ready to go along with a few other pantry staples.
DOES THIS RECIPE USE PUMPKIN PUREE OR PUMPKIN PIE MIX
This recipe actually uses plain pumpkin puree.
Don't use a can of pumpkin pie mix because that has spices and sugar added to it.
For these pumpkin bars, we use half a can of plain pumpkin puree and add our own sugar and spices.
That's simply brown sugar and cinnamon. Easy peasy!
DOES THIS RECIPE TAKE A WHOLE CAN OF PUMPKIN
Actually, no.
These pumpkin bars only take half of a small can of pumpkin.
A small can is about 15 ounces so this recipe only takes 7-8 ounces of pumpkin.
You can measure out about one cup of pumpkin puree.
Or just eyeball half a can like I do.
ELECTRIC MIXER OR MIX BY HAND
For these pumpkin bars, it's best to make the cream cheese frosting in an electric mixer.
But then you simply hand mix the bar batter.
I actually love that because then I don't have to clean between bars and icing making.
They each use their own mixing bowls.
And I save clean-up for later!
WHAT SIZE DISH FOR THESE PUMPKIN BARS
This recipe, when made in a 9x13" baking dish, will make thin pumpkin bars.
Or you can make them in a 9x9" baking dish for a thicker pumpkin cake.
Totally your choice.
Still make the same amount of frosting, though.
It will be the perfect amount either way.
See the easy recipe below!
PUMPKIN BARS RECIPE
Be sure to see our quick pumpkin bar video in this post to see the textures and process so you get it right every time.
INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients
1 cup flour
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
¼ cup dairy-free milk
½ teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
½ of a 15 ounce can of pumpkin
¼ cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13" (for thin bars) or 9x9" (for thicker cake) pan with dairy-free butter.
Combine ¼ c. milk and ½ tsp. lemon juice or vinegar in a LARGE measuring cup. Let sit 5 minutes to make dairy-free buttermilk.
Whisk 1 c. flour, ⅓ c. brown sugar, 1 tsp. baking powder, ¼ tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and ¼ tsp. salt together in a large separate bowl.
Add ½ of a 15 ounce can of plain pumpkin puree and ¼ c. liquid oil to the buttermilk bowl.
Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir well with a large spoon. Mixture will seem dry for cake batter.
Spread the batter evenly into prepared pan and bake for 15-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Baking time depends on what size dish you used.
Let cake cool while you make the frosting.
STORAGE
Stores well in the refrigerator for a few days.
See cream cheese frosting recipe below.
DAIRY-FREE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RECIPE
2 tablespoons of dairy-free butter stick, cold
¼ container of dairy-free cream cheese (2 ounces)
1 and ½ cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Cream together dairy-free butter and dairy-free cream cheese with an electric mixer.
Mix in vanilla extract and lemon juice.
Gradually add powdered sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
Mix in powdered sugar thoroughly until the icing is smooth.
Frost your baked good when it’s completely cooled.
OUR FAVORITE DAIRY-FREE INGREDIENTS
Since we often get asked, here are the dairy-free butters and cream cheese we like to use.
Plus, I'll share one of our favorite vanilla extracts. I love real vanilla, not artificial.
As always, double check current labels and make sure these brands work for your allergies. And call companies, if need be, for manufacturing information.
MORE DAIRY-FREE PUMPKIN RECIPES
Because the pumpkin bars only take ½ of a small can of pumpkin puree...
here are some other dairy and egg free recipes you could use the rest of your pumpkin in!
We hope you enjoy these dairy and egg free pumpkin bars as much as we do.
You can save these pumpkin bars on Pinterest for later.
This was originally posted in November 2009.
Hi! How many bars/ squares can you get from one recipe?
We absolutely love these pumpkin bars. But more importantly the frosting!!!!!! I’m loving all the new recipes for my dairy free kiddo because these actually taste good for the whole family!!! I currently have a batch in the oven for the big family Christmas tomorrow.
we love hearing that, Jarita. Thanks so much for sharing!
Your recipes look delicious, but it's so hard to keep scrolling in order to make them. Could you please add a printable version? Unless I missed the print button, but I looked all over on mobile and desktop. 🙁
My DF kiddo loves to help cook but I need a paper version for him.
Hi Kris. I'm sorry about that. Right now we are creating weekly printable recipe sheets inside our membership. But we do have a printable recipe snack sheet for you! Just head to milkallergymom.com/freegift
Hmmm I see that everyone else had success. My batch did not rise at all, just baked as it was spread in the pan. Very gluey too. What did I do wrong? Ideas?
I'm sorry to hear that, Pat. Did you use an alternative flour for gluten-free?
I don’t know what happened with that first batch Jamie. Made them again and they are perfect! Thanks for a terrific recipe!
Oh good! 🙂 So glad to hear that, Pat. xo
Making these pumpkin bars today. So happy to see this recipe!
So happy you are happy, Pat!
To Xander’s Mom - wow we would be interested in sharing recipes as well as reading your blog. Our 3 year old has life threatening allergies to egg, milk, tree nuts, sesame seeds with cross sensitization to buckwheat.
We made these for Thanksgiving and they were a hit! So easy and yummy! We substituted gluten free 1:1 flour and it worked great! We made both the thin and thick versions and loved both, but a little partial to the thicker ones. Thank you so much for a great recipe!!!
Oh Beth, that makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing, love that you did a taste test of both!
Hi there !! Omgoodness this looks good. My daughter can't have any sugar or sugar substitutes. Do you think it'll still work out if I omit the sugar??
Thanks!
Stephanie
Just curious how you get your blog out there. I started a blog with the hopes of helping people in the same situation like you and I (my 4yo has life threatening allergies to dairy, eggs, and nuts) and I just don't know how to really get it out into a bigger community. I try to post recipes, mostly desserts, and other snacks since those seem to be what we usually feel as though we have to do without. I love that there are other people out there doing the same thing, and your recipes look great.
Jozana,
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it too! Thanks for checking in with us. I love these stories! Opening doors is what it's all about. 🙂
I was so excited to see your post yesterday!!! I had to go to the store and see for myself. My son (3 yr) has a dairy allergy so I have been cooking dairy free for almost the whole three years (since I had to give up dairy while I was nursing). I'm so glad that I can once again have CREAM CHEESE frosting! I love your site it has opened up several new doors for my family.
I'm so jealous, we don't have this in Canada, and I love cream cheese frosting. Guess I'll have to bring some back with me next time we go on holidays.
hi meghan,
yep, we tried the pillsbury cream cheese frosting in a tub. i was a little leary but the boys ate it just fine. i'm very excited about this find! hope it broadens your baking options too!
wow! this looks really yummy! the frosting is dairy free?? my son is one and he (so far) is allergic to milk, eggs and peanuts. i am always looking for new things to make for him and the rest of us....definetely will try this one! thanks!