I made this recipe when I was craving a baked pumpkin dessert, but I didn’t want it to be as heavy and loaded with sugar as pumpkin bakes usually are.
If you, too, are looking for a lighter-than-usual fall bake, then these healthier pumpkin bars are exactly what you need.
They’re moist, warmly spiced, and topped with a soft cream cheese frosting, all while being lower in fat and sugar than traditional pumpkin bars.
Instead of refined sugar overload and heavy oils, this version uses Greek yogurt, applesauce, and erythritol to keep the texture soft and sweet without the extra calories.
Even the frosting gets a healthier makeover using low-fat cream cheese and sweetener instead of powdered sugar. And while they may be a little denser than classic bars, you wouldn’t know the difference as far as taste goes!
Each bar comes in at around 125 calories, making them a great option for healthy snacks, desserts, or even a sweet treat with your afternoon coffee.
What You’ll Need
This recipe makes 20 bars, baked in a standard square tray. Here’s what goes into it:
For the pumpkin bars:
- Pumpkin purée (canned or homemade)
- Eggs
- Coconut sugar + sweetener (like erythritol)
- Greek yogurt + applesauce (instead of oil)
- All-purpose + wholemeal flour
- Baking powder, baking soda, salt
- Cinnamon or pumpkin spice
- Walnuts (optional)
For the frosting:
- Low-fat cream cheese
- Butter
- Sweetener
- Vanilla and a splash of lemon juice
The combination of flours gives these bars a soft but slightly nutty texture, while the spice blend ties it all together with classic fall flavor.
How to Make These Healthier Pumpkin Bars
Start by mixing the wet ingredients in a large bowl: beat together your eggs, coconut sugar, sweetener, Greek yogurt, applesauce, and pumpkin purée until smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients – both flours, cinnamon or pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry mix into the pumpkin mixture in three parts, mixing gently each time to keep the batter light. Pour into a 9×9-inch silicone or parchment-lined baking tray. (There’s no need to grease the pan if you’re using silicone.)
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool completely before frosting or the icing will melt into the cake.
For the frosting, beat together the low-fat cream cheese, sweetener, butter, vanilla, and a splash of lemon juice.
Because we’re using low-fat cream cheese, the texture of the icing will be softer than what you might be used to, but I prefer this one as it’s more easily spreadable. Plus, it will still harden in the fridge as well.
Once the bars are frosted, chill them in the fridge to set. You can store them covered for several days, or freeze them for later (even with frosting). Sprinkle with cinnamon or a handful of crushed walnuts before serving.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Bars
- Full of fall flavors but without all the sugar. Using coconut sugar gives it a nice caramelly flavor as well.
- Lower calorie and lower fat than most pumpkin bakes
- Still moist and rich, even with healthier swaps
- The soft, lightly spiced frosting with no added sugar tastes amazing!
- Freezer-friendly so you can enjoy them anytime
Tips for Success
- Don’t skip cooling the bars – the frosting needs a cool base!
- Use a thicker sweetener (like powdered erythritol) for the frosting if you want a smoother finish
- Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before mixing to avoid lumps
- Store in the fridge and eat within 2 months if freezing
- Add chopped walnuts or pecans on top for extra texture and crunch
📌 Healthier Pumpkin Bars With No-Sugar Frosting (Recipe Card)
Ingredients (Makes 20 bars)
For the bars:
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin purée
- 5 eggs (medium)
- 1¼ cups coconut sugar
- ¼ cup sweetener (like erythritol)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup wholemeal flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
- 4 oz low-fat cream cheese
- 2½ tablespoons butter
- ½ cup sweetener (preferably powdered)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Splash of lemon juice
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- 9×9 inch baking pan
- Whisk or hand mixer
- Spatula
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée, eggs, coconut sugar, sweetener, yogurt, and applesauce until smooth.
- In another bowl, mix flours, cinnamon/spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture in three parts and mix gently.
- Pour batter into a 9×9-inch silicone or parchment-lined tray.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, sweetener, vanilla, and lemon juice until soft and fluffy.
- Spread frosting over cooled bars and chill.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon or a handful of crushed walnuts before serving.
