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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
Amy M.
0I’m excited to try this recipe! I’d love for you to reconsider the amount of pop-ups and ads on your website though; this is my first time here (that I remember) and the ads and popups are some of the most invasive I have come across. It really takes away from your great content.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Amy, Thanks for your feedback. Ads keep the Wholesome Yum website running and allow me to develop recipes that readers like you can access absolutely free. However, you may be interested in Wholesome Yum Plus, which includes an ad-free version of the website, along with other perks.
Tina
0Love this recipe! I’ve made this recipe many times because it is a favorite! I love the fact that I can use up a cream cheese bar and not have any left overs, and I can make a second pan of this with the left over pumpkin. And I get raves from everyone when I make it, they can’t believe it’s keto.
Amber
0I don’t have powdered sugar for the cream cheese topping. I only have Swerve granulated and brown sugars. Can I use granulated in place of the powdered sugar? I am assuming it won’t come out as “fluffy” though.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Amber, No the granular versions will not work for the cream cheese frosting, it will make your frosting very gritty.
Haley
0It’s never too early for a pumpkin treat! I love this recipe, it’s so perfect. I will be making this a lot! Very moist and the perfect amount of sweetness!
Kendi
0Hi there! I’m wondering what would cause the pumpkin mixture to not bake? I followed directions to a T. Not sure what I did wrong!
Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kendi, These bars can be a little delicate. So they may be done, just fragile. If need be, you can let them bake a little longer to make sure the center is fully set.
Christine
0Delicious!!!
Junko
0I just made the pumpkin bars. It was so moist and satisfying!! It is going to be one of my staple Keto Desserts. Thank you for the great recipe.
Kendra
0Can I use a different almond flour?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kendra, You can, but I can’t guarantee results. I’ve only tested with my Wholesome Yum Almond Flour which you can get here, and the texture does vary by brand.
Gabrielle Gilbert
0Best Keto Desert I’ve made so far!! Thanks!!!
Janet Lambert
0I have made this recipe several times. Everyone that has tasted it just loves it. It is my go to for a much enjoyable Keto dessert.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Kristen Unroe
0My cream cheese and coconut oil will not blend.
Sharon
0This happened to me too! I’ve made these before with no problem and they are super yummy, but this time it was giving me trouble! No idea why.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kristen, Did you use a double boiler or microwave to gently melt the coconut oil and cream cheese together? Melting makes the two ingredients very easy to incorporate.
Cea
0These were awesome my husband loved them.
MJ
0These were terrific. Easy to make and delicious. The website however has become almost impossible to view. I am assuming the videos and ads are the problem,it took me forever to even leave this comment. I can’t spell correct or it erases most of the comment. When viewing the recipe, the page keeps starting back at the top. So I need to stop, wash my hands, close the ads and video, go back to recipe- within a few minutes it does the same thing. It’s so frustrating I have stopped browsing recipes on your page. A shame since you have great ideas!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi MJ, Thanks for your input regarding ads. They keep the Wholesome Yum website running and allow me to develop recipes that readers like you can access absolutely free. However, you may be interested in Wholesome Yum Plus, which includes an ad-free version of the website. If you are having issues typing, however, that is not related to ads. If this issue persists, please contact us with information on what device you have, so we can look into it.
Jessica Lamore
0I managed to completely screw up the recipe and it still came out delicious, so it’s a winner! Pretty sure I forgot to add in the baking powder. After baking in the oven for almost an hour I realized something went wrong. I took it out and let it cool for a bit. I put the frosting on half my piece (which I screwed up as well.. I don’t think I ground up the sweetener enough, grainy. I’m not the best baker). I put whip cream on the other half. The consistency of my version was more like pumpkin pie. It worked best with the whipped cream.
The moral of this comment: if you forget to add baking powder like I did, don’t throw it out. Serve it warm with whip cream and pass it off as a pumpkin pie type thingy. My husband loved it!
Looking forward to giving it another try, I’m sure the real version is even more delicious!
Linda
0I adore this recipe! Its now a staple! Have your book. Love it. But Maya, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get rid of the ads on your site! It is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to follow the recipes or even read a single line before the page distorts or rearranges. It’s the most frustrating thing i have ever seen and have a hard time following you because of it. Dont sell yourself out to those advertisers!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Linda, I’m so glad you like the pumpkin bars and my book. The ads on my site help support my family and the 12+ hours per recipe that I spend to bring them to you for free.
Patricia A Gallant
0These pumpkin bars are delicious. I’ve made them several times using 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup flax seed meal, and 1/4 cup psyllium husk. I actually frost the bars and freeze them as you would berries on a cookie sheet before placing them in freezer bags. No sticking together! Each morning I have one with my coffee. They are perfect.
Tammy Griffin
0Made these for Thanksgiving and they were so good! So glad I had a few leftovers to snack on
Pat
0I made these for Thanksgiving dinner. I put them on a plate to serve. Every one grabbed 2 bars before I could take a picture. These are absolutely wonderful with whipped cream or icing. The house smelled heavenly.
Erica
0Just made these! We are stuck in the house for thanksgiving due to the flu and I had all we needed to whip them up. The only thing I added was a splash of Califia Farms holiday Nog creamer to the frosting. It’s all so yummy! The kids have no idea it’s healthy and I’m not telling them.
Cathy A
0Making these today for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. For the 2/3 cup erythritol sweetener…I have Swerve, both granular and confectioner’s. Which one is best to use or can I do 1/3 cup each?
Julie Owens
0When you say erythritol sweetener blend… do you mean Monkfruit sweetener or Swerve or something else?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Julie, Yes, both of those are erythritol sweetener blends and will work perfectly.