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Sugar Cookie Vegan Pumpkin Bars

Sugar cookie vegan pumpkin bars with a tender baked crust and smooth pumpkin spice filling, finished with a dairy-free cream cheese frosting swirl. The bars bake in two stages for a set center, then chill for clean slices.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
chill 2 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sugar cookie base
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup vegan butter, cold and cubed cold for cutting into the dry ingredients
  • 2 tbsp plant milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Vegan pumpkin filling
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 0.5 cup maple syrup or sugar
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Vegan frosting
  • 4 oz vegan cream cheese
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp plant milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prepare and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment.
  2. Make a plan to use the parchment to lift bars out later for easier slicing.
Make the sugar cookie base
  1. In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt, then cut in cold vegan butter until the mixture looks crumbly.
  2. Add plant milk and vanilla and mix until the dough forms.
  3. Press the dough into the lined pan evenly, then bake for 12 minutes at 350F.
Cook the pumpkin filling
  1. Whisk pumpkin puree, full-fat coconut milk, maple syrup or sugar, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla until completely smooth.
  2. Pour the filling over the warm crust.
  3. Bake 20-22 more minutes at 350F until the filling is set.
  4. Cool completely, then refrigerate for 2 hours.
Frost and finish
  1. Beat vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, plant milk, and vanilla until smooth.
  2. Spread the frosting over the chilled bars and slice once set.

Notes

For the cleanest cuts, lift the bars out by the parchment after the 2-hour chill and slice with a sharp knife, wiping between cuts. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freezing is yes (freeze unfrosted or freeze frosted, but thaw in the fridge for best texture). Dietary swap: use a gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour blend for the base if needed (check that your blend includes xanthan gum for better structure).