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My Healthy Pumpkin Bars Are Super Moist With No Refined Sugar
These healthy pumpkin bars started out as my shortcut when I didn’t have time to make a classic pumpkin pie. I wanted that same cozy flavor, but in a quick and easy format. After a few tests with different flours and sweeteners, I found the combo that worked and now these are the bars I make on repeat every fall. They’re soft, spiced, and finished with a dreamy cream cheese frosting that nobody ever guesses is sugar free. Here’s why I think you’ll love them, too:
- Pumpkin spice + tangy frosting – The warm fall spices in these pumpkin bars pair perfectly with the creamy, tangy frosting, giving each bite that sweet-meets-spice balance you’ll love.
- Super moist, cakey texture – These bake up soft, tender, and moist. The consistency reminds me of pumpkin cake, but thinner and easier to slice and share.
- Better-for-you ingredients – Wholesome Yum Superfine Almond Flour and Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend (both granulated and powdered) give these healthy pumpkin bars an amazing taste and texture, but in a gluten-free, no-refined-sugar way.
- Quick prep – I can whip up the batter in about 10 minutes, and unlike my almond flour pumpkin muffins, these bars are faster since I don’t have to portion individual cups. They’re perfect for last-minute get-togethers or a healthy weekday dessert.
Whether you’re baking for a fall gathering or just want something sweet with your bulletproof coffee, grab a pan and make this pumpkin bars recipe with me!
Reader Review
“Fantastic recipe! I’ve made these several times, exactly as directed, and they are delicious. I use the butter option and I find that the frosting is perfectly creamy without the addition of the heavy cream. A sprinkling of chopped walnuts over the top makes a nice garnish. Thank you, Maya, for this one. It’s a winner!” –Katherine
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my healthy pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – Some recipes use oats or oat flour, but I love the soft consistency from my almond flour. Just note that brands vary and some are grainier — this one I use is super fine. You can swap half for oat flour if you’re not watching carbs. I don’t recommend coconut flour, though; it’s way too dry for these ingredient ratios.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Sweetens like sugar, but without the spike. It also locks in moisture, which helps the bars stay soft. Other sweeteners can work (check my conversion chart), but avoid liquid ones like maple syrup because the bars won’t hold together.
- Pumpkin Puree – Be sure to measure 1 cup, not a full can. If you need ideas for the rest of the can, check out my other pumpkin recipes.
- Coconut Oil – This keeps the bars soft and moist. If you don’t love the coconut flavor, swap in refined coconut oil or even unsalted butter.
- Cream Cheese – I added this to the bar layer for tang, softness, and richness. A dairy-free cream cheese alternative should work if needed.
- Eggs – You can substitute flax eggs, but these healthy pumpkin bars turn out more fragile with them.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – A cozy mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Store-bought works fine, but my homemade pumpkin pie spice is easy, too.
- Vanilla Extract, Baking Powder, & Sea Salt
- Cream Cheese Frosting – I make this with cream cheese, Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend (which is key because it dissolves and doesn’t leave a gritty texture like most sweeteners do), vanilla extract, and heavy cream to thin it out as needed.
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How To Make Healthy Pumpkin Bars
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Melt the cream cheese and coconut oil. You can microwave in short bursts, or use a double boiler on the stove. Stir smooth.
- Beat the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin puree, warm cream cheese mixture, eggs, and vanilla with a hand mixer, until smooth.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the almond flour, Besti, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and sea salt.
- Combine the wet and dry. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and beat the batter at low speed, until just combined.
- Bake. Transfer batter to a baking pan (this is the one I use) lined with parchment paper, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake the pumpkin bars in the oven, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Make the frosting. With a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, powdered Besti, and vanilla, until smooth. If needed, thin out with a splash of cream.
- Frost the bars. Once the healthy pumpkin bars are completely cooled, spread the frosting over them. Add a light sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice if you like, and slice.
My Recipe Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients. I let the eggs, cream cheese, and coconut oil sit out, so they blend smoothly. If I forget the eggs, I pop them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. You can fill a stainless steel bowl with boiling water, empty and dry, and then place upside down over the cream cheese and coconut oil on a plate, which helps them come to room temp quickly.
- PSA: The pumpkin puree is 1 cup, not a full can! Level it off when measuring. If I have extra, I use it to make a pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin muffins.
- I bake these in a 9×9-inch square pan for the perfect thickness (mine’s warp-resistant and nonstick). If you use an 8×8, add a few minutes to the bake time. If you use a 9×13, these healthy pumpkin bars will be thinner, so start checking around 20-25 minutes. Either way, pull them when a toothpick comes out clean.
- I like to line the pan with parchment with a little overhang off the sides. This makes it easy to lift the slab out to a board and make clean cuts.
- Not into cream cheese frosting? Skip it, or swipe on my sugar-free buttercream instead.
- Want some crunch? Sprinkle the cooled pumpkin bars with toasted pecans or walnuts, or a handful of sugar-free mini chocolate chips. You can also fold them into the batter as mix-ins.
- Cool before frosting. I know it’s tempting, but wait until the bars are fully cool, or the frosting will melt and slide.
Healthy Pumpkin Bars
By
My healthy pumpkin bars are soft, moist, and topped with dreamy cream cheese frosting. Nobody will guess they have no refined sugar!
Ingredients
[ See substitutions ]Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Healthy Pumpkin Bars
Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a 9×9 in (23×23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.
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Using a bowl in the microwave or a double boiler on the stove, melt together the cream cheese and coconut oil, until you can stir them together easily.
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In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil/cream cheese mixture, eggs and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer at medium speed, until smooth.
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In another bowl, stir together the almond flour, Besti, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
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Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Beat with the hand mixer at low speed, until just combined.
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Transfer the batter to the lined baking pan and smooth the top. Bake for30-35 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
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To make the frosting, use a hand mixer to beat together the cream cheese, powdered Besti, and vanilla, until smooth. (You can thin it out with a little milk or cream if you'd like.) Let the bars cool completely before frosting and cutting.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 bar, or 1/16 of entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the right texture in these healthy pumpkin bars, plus a few variations.
- Storage: I keep these healthy pumpkin bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They’re also fine on the counter for up to 2-3 days if you don’t frost them.
- Freeze: Chill, wrap snugly (I recommend plastic wrap followed by foil.), and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. I unwrap them for thawing, so the frosting doesn’t stick to the wrapping.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Low Carb Holiday Cookbook and Keto Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Healthy Pumpkin Bars
510 Comments
Angelica
0Is there something I can use other than almond/coconut flour that is also low carb?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Angelica, I don’t recommend coconut flour for this recipe, it will be too dry. Almond flour can sometimes be replaced with other nut flours, like pecan or macadamia nut flour, or with sunflower seed flour, but all of those are noticeably more coarse than my blanched almond flour, so the end result will be more gritty with them.
LuAnne
0Hi. I just put the pan in the oven and then read some of the comments. I saw this one that says you need both almond and coconut flour for this recipe. I’ve read and reread the recipe and I see no mention of coconut flour. Please let me know if there should be coconut flour in the recipe. Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi LuAnne, Sorry about the confusion! I was thinking of a different recipe and just updated my comment to clarify. You need only almond flour for these healthy pumpkin bars.
Katherine
0Fantastic recipe! I’ve made these several times, exactly as directed, and they are delicious. I use the butter option and I find that the frosting is perfectly creamy without the addition of the heavy cream. A sprinkling of chopped walnuts over the top makes a nice garnish. Thank you, Maya, for this one. It’s a winner!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Katherine! I’m so glad you like these bars. I like the nuts garnish, too.
Jan Johnson
0I was craving pumpkin bars, which I used to make a lot the non-keto way. I looked up three recipes, but since one of them was Wholesome Yum, whose recipes always work out, I decided that was my best bet. And it was! These are so so good — moist flavorful, filling! I made the bars just as stated except I used cinnamon, cloves and ginger for the spices. I didn’t have enough cream cheese, so I used 1/4 cup soft butter, a teaspoon of vanilla, a bit of milk, and monk fruit/erythritol confectioners sweetener. It was all so delicious! Won’t be long til I make them again!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Awww, I’m so glad to hear that, Jan! Really appreciate the kind words. That spice combination sounds amazing.
Crystal
0I made this mostly for myself because I do Keto, but it was so good that both my son and husband loved it! It was very moist and the frosting was delicious.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That’s awesome, Crystal! Love when that happens. 🙂
Jillian Hicks
0Loved this recipe! Smooth and creamy, very delicious with tea or coffee.
Pamela
0I’ve made this recipe 3 or 4 times now, and it’s always delicious! I cut the squares very small, as they tend to be moist and fall apart. I did have some trouble spreading the frosting because the bars were so moist, so I did a dollop on top instead. And I like the look with a dollop of the frosting on the squares, rather trying to spread the frosting.
Rhonda
0Made this for a friend who has bone cancer and a diabetic. Absolutely loved it.
Kim
0Great Thanksgiving pumpkin dessert. Non Keto family members loved it too!
Jennifer
0Have made this numerous times now and family and friends keep asking for these! They are so amazing! Thank you
Hannah
0I don’t get excited about pumpkin, but THESE BARS. These bars are to die for!! Incredibly soft and moist, gorgeous flavour, it’s near impossible to stop at just 1 piece. I made 1 tiny adjustment to the frosting – I added 1tsp of ‘Salted Caramel Pecan’ sugar-free coffee syrup, then dusted lightly with Nutmeg and it’s sooo droolworthy. This is literally all I want to eat right now. Thank you so much for this recipe, it’s been years since I danced around with excitement over food.
Dawn Maxwell
0I have 2 of your cookbooks but did not find this recipe for either. So hungry for pumpkin. CANNOT wait to try this!!! I am giving it 5 stars as I know it will be good.
Victoria Galka
0Can I use coconut sugar instead of the monk fruit blend?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Victoria, Coconut sugar is not keto and I have not tested it in this recipe. If you want to use it, you’ll have to use my Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart because coconut sugar doesn’t measure 1:1 with Besti.
Dottie Bacon
0You’ll never guess these bars only have two net carbs. These are a comforting treat to enjoy during fall, and they make your house smell so good! They are easy to make, and make for a great breakfast! LOL! I made the pumpkin pie spice listed in the recipe and it really brings out the flavor of the pumpkin. The frosting is delicious as well, and makes a great topping for the three ingredient almond flour crackers, IF you have any left! Make sure to use the Besti sweeteners here though, because they don’t have an aftertaste. YUM!!!!
WhiteFlower
0All I can say is “WOW”! Okay, delicious, yummy, all that. But The real compliment on these pumpkin bars comes from my hubby. He does not like pumpkin. Period. Pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving is a no-go for him. But…he LOVED these and even licked the baking pan clear of crumbs! And said we should have these again in the future. ‘Nuff said. Fifteen stars would not be enough!
Ebony
0This was a good recipe. It comes together pretty easily and looks really appetizing. I may try to add some maple flavoring as another baker suggested to bump it to a full five stars for flavor. Regardless, it was a really nice treat I’m sure I’ll make again.
Roberta
0These bars are wonderful and just right to cure the sweet tooth craving. I was surprised at the size of the serving, but it just goes to show how we need to retrain our thinking of healthy portion sizes.
Michelle
0I was going to make my own keto pumpkin bar, but after I saw this easy recipe I knew I had to try it.
My whole family loved this. Great texture easy to serve, perfectly pumpkin pie flavored.
– I made a traditional pumpkin pie for the normies and I made these bars primarily for myself and my father-in-law we eat low carb no sugar for health reasons. 1 out of two people actually prefered this bar to the traditional P pie!
I used half butter and half unflavored coconut oil & I added vanilla and used part xylitol and part allulose to sweeten, (allulose sets as it cools the knife test might not be accurate just time it and eyeball the top color for doneness), It was quite sweet almost overly*. I skipped the cream cheese topping, used big dollops or unsweetened whipped cream that helped even out the sweetness and keep it light.
This recipe is so easy, I’m in NZ and have to roast a whole pumpkin to make my thanksgiving pies (since we don’t have Thanksgiving & hard to find canned P Puree) . Easy to freeze 1 Cup portions of fresh puree to make this bar quick and easy any time. Fresh roasted pumkin is super yum and easy – just have to plan ahead.
* If you slow roast your pumpkin the natural sugars develop and I think that’s why mine was overly sweet so, slow roast a pumkin and reduce your granulated sweetener for even more wholesomeness.
Twists:
add a little ground clove, suger free maple syrup, chinese five spice, or cardamom, or make it pumpkin Chai.
VICKIE BUETTNER
0ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!! Thanks for sharing!!
Susan
0Made these last night…super easy and they were a hit at work today. Even one of the none Keto/Low Carb people loved them! Of course mine were not nearly as pretty as your pictures but the frosting covered up my sloppy bars lol
mare
0I really enjoyed these pumpkin bars! I didn’t have pumpkin pie spice so I simply used cinnamon. And my toothpick came out clean at 30 minutes but for a slightly firmer bar, I’d probably go 35 min next time. But they were very moist. And the frosting was perfect. Thank you for the recipe.