These Gluten-Free Pumpkin Squares (or bars, depending on how you cut them) are one of our all-time favorite fall recipes. They are fluffy, full of pumpkin flavor, and easy to make. Top them with cream cheese frosting or your favorite dairy-free icing - you can make the squares dairy-free too.
Recipe & article by Taylor Miller, Gluten Away
My favorite holiday recipe - and everyone else's.
Every year for Thanksgiving or Christmas I always decide to come back to this one recipe. Every single person that's tried it has said they didn't know it was gluten-free which makes you know it's good! It's rich, fluffy, and has an amazing texture unlike any gluten-free baked good I've had before. I decided to repost this recipe once again because I felt like it's one of the best recipes I make each year. It is by far my favorite and many people have said it's their favorite too. If I could recommend any dessert recipe to make for Thanksgiving it would definitely be this. It's easy to make and can be both gluten and dairy free! It's a perfect gluten-free dessert recipe for Thanksgiving or really any time of year and is one that I guarantee you will enjoy.
Comments about this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Squares recipe:
"These gluten-free pumpkin squares are my family's favorite! They can't tell they're GF and I LOVE them!"
"I made this a few weeks ago and it only lasted three days! This is SO good!"
"By far the best gluten free dessert I've made so far! Amazing!"
"THESE ARE AMAZING! I converted the recipe so it is now gluten, egg and dairy free! But not delicious free 🙂 replacing two eggs with ¼ cup pumpkin puree makes them even more moist and pumpkin-y."
What you'll need to make pumpkin squares:
- 10- by 15-inch baking pan (or, for fluffier squares, a 9- by 13-inch pan)
- standing mixer or hand mixer
- a batch of cream cheese frosting or fluffy dairy-free icing
- pumpkin puree
- eggs
- sugar
- applesauce or oil or prune puree
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt (I use fine sea salt)
- cinnamon
- nutmeg or ground ginger (or both)
- mix-ins if you choose, like chocolate chips, diced prunes, raisins or nuts
It's all about pumpkin everything.
If you love pumpkin desserts, try my Pumpkin Cheesecake next. You'll probably love this Warm Pumpkin Spice Cocktail recipe too!
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Squares or Bars
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 15 ounce can pumpkin
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil or applesauce or prune puree
- 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger or nutmeg
- chocolate chips, diced prunes or raisins, optional
- cream cheese icing of your choice
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take out an ungreased 10- by 15-inch baking pan (or, for a fluffier version, a 9- by 13-inch pan) and set aside.
- Beat together the eggs, pumpkin, sugar and oil until well blended.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, the ginger / nutmeg, and chocolate chips or raisins if you desire. Mix until smooth, then spread the batter in your pan. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
- Apply icing, enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Photos: Meg van der Kruik - try her pumpkin roll cake too!
Click Here for Taylor's Dairy Free Icing Recipe
Want to make these squares with fresh pumpkin? Here's how to make Pumpkin Puree from a whole pumpkin:
Pumpkin puree is simply pumpkin cooked until soft and then blended until it is smooth. You can make pumpkin puree from scratch with the pumpkin of your choice.
Incredibly Delicious Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake:
No one will know this Pumpkin Cheesecake is gluten-free because it is so creamy and delicious! With a ginger snap crust that pairs perfectly with the cheesecake's spices, there's no doubt this will become a new holiday favorite!
FAQs about Gluten-Free Pumpkin Squares
Usually pumpkin squares are more cakelike, and pumpkin bars are thinner and denser. But more bars or square recipes can be cut either way.
Absolutely! This recipe works beautifully as a gluten-free pumpkin sheet cake too.
If you don't want to use canned puree, you can roast a sugar-pie pumpkin and puree the cooked flesh. Check out this recipe with directions to make your own pumpkin puree here.
Sarah Taylor-Green says
Thank you for such a delicious recipe! I made it last night and cannot believe how delicious it tastes. Since going gluten-free over two years ago, I have not been able to replicate the taste of pumpkin cakes and breads, until now.
I made a couple of changes:
I used 1/2 melted butter and 1/2 applesauce in lieu of the vegetable oil
I added ginger and nutmeg
I sprinkled chocolate chips on half the batter in the pan
I opted not to frost the cake
Thank you, again, for sharing your delicious recipe and bringing back one of my favorite seasonal treats.
Julie Diaz says
I made this for a large party. I was the only GF person there and everyone LOVED the squares and had no idea they were GF. The only change I made was I frosted it with a caramel frosting I use on my apple cake. 1 cup butter, 2 cup brown sugar packed, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 1 tsp vanilla. Boil for 2 min - set pan in bowl of ice water and beat icing til spreading consistency. Spread ove cake and enjoy!!
G-Free Foodie says
Love it! KC
Patti says
Uh-mazing!!!!!
Made it for a GF family member who loved it!!
My husband loved it, he's not GF!
I've sent the recipes to others.
One friend, her husband, who is not GF loved it and he is very picky!!
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe that was/is enjoyed by all and helps those that often feel left out included!!!
K.C. Cornwell says
I'm so happy to hear that!
Christine says
These are amazing and are requested by my non gluten free family members every Thanksgiving! Question, I saw in comments previously that you can replace 1 or 2 eggs with an extra 1/4 cup of pumpkin but I can't find the comment. Do you know if it's 1 or 2 eggs? Thanks a bunch!
K.C. Cornwell says
So happy you and your family love the recipe! It's 1/4 cup of fruit puree - either pumpkin or prune puree - for each egg. You can replace up to two in this recipe with success - the remaining eggs are needed for stability of the cake.
GinaR says
Could you make cake ahead and freeze? (Obviously frosting after you thaw). Thanks!