Name: Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 box gluten free white cake mix; 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice; 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree; 2 eggs; 1 container cream cheese frosting; Pumpkin spice and chopped pecans for topping, optional

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Pumpkin season is my favorite time of year! Thaty’s why I love finding delicious gluten free desserts featuring my favorite ingredient — pumpkin. These easy gluten free pumpkin bars cake makes a great dessert for fall, whether you’re looking for a quick sweet treat or a Thanksgiving Day dessert. Since they’re made with cake mix, you can whip them up with just a few minutes of prep work.

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how to make gluten free pumpkin bars with cake mix

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love the cool weather and beautiful colors in nature. But my favorite part about fall is all the delicious flavors that come with the season. Baking with pumpkin is a great way to incorporate fall into your food.

This simple recipe for gluten free pumpkin bars is one of those delicious fall desserts you’ll want to make over and over again. Since you only need six ingredients to whip up this easy treat, you’ll be making these bars for every fall get-together.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars Recipe

Since these easy pumpkin bars are made with cake mix, you only need a handful of ingredients to prepare them. That makes them perfect for a last-minute party or just a sweet afternoon snack.

The best part about this simple dessert recipe is that you only need six ingredients to prepare them — and that’s counting the icing! To make your own glutenfree pumpkin bars, you’ll need:

Gluten free white cake mix. The key to making this easy dessert is to use cake mix to speed up the baking process. There are a few different cake mix options you can choose from when it comes to gluten free baking, but my favorite is Kinnikinnick Cake Mix. You won’t believe how close to traditional white cake this cake mix tastes!
Pumpkin spice. To give your bars more pumpkin flavor, you’ll need to mix in some pumpkin spice. Since you can’t buy gluten free spice cake mix, this will help turn your plain cake mix into a spice cake mix.
Pumpkin. You can’t make pumpkin bars without pumpkin! One can of pumpkin puree will add plenty of fall flavor to your quick dessert.
Eggs. The final ingredient in these light and fluffy bars is eggs.
Cream cheese icing. You can keep your pumpkin bars plain or top them with cream cheese icing. I used store-bought cream cheese icing. Pillsbury icing is gluten free! But you can also use your favorite recipe to top your pumpkin bars.

Those simple ingredients create a delicious dessert that can be prepared in a matter of minutes!

How to Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars

The first step to preparing your pumpkin bars is to mix up the four ingredients for the batter: the cake mix, pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, and eggs. Beat the ingredients together until the batter is smooth and well combined.

Spread the pumpkin batter over the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish, making sure it’s evenly spread across the entire pan.

Bake the pumpkin bars for 25 to 30 minutes. You’ll know your bars are finished baking when the top is golden brown. If you press your finger on top of the bars, the cake should spring back.

Allow your pumpkin bars to cool completely. After the bars are cool to the touch, you can spread a thin layer of cream cheese icing over the top. Then, cut them into bars and enjoy!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars Recipe Tips

This easy gluten-free pumpkin bars couldn’t be simpler to make! But if you have questions as you’re baking, I probably have the answer!

Can I use gluten free yellow cake mix?

Gluten free white cake mix can be hard to find. If you can’t find Kinnikinnick cake mix at your store (I found mine at Wal-Mart), gluten free yello cake mix can be used in its place. Simply mix all the ingredients together as listed in the recipe and bake according to the instructions.

Can I add toppings to my pumpkin bars?

Of course! There are so many great ways to top your pumpkin bars. In addition to using cream cheese frosting, you could also try different frosting flavors like white or chocolate. Other delicious topping options include chopped nuts, caramel sauce, cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spide.

Can I substitute the pumpkin?

The pumpkin in this recipe serves as a binder and as added flavor. But you can substitute the pumpkin with unsweetened applesauce in this recipe. Use two cups of applesauce in place of the pumpkin and follow the instructions in the recipe for preparation and baking.