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Pumpkin Gooey Butter Bars

Pumpkin gooey butter bars with a buttery cake-mix crust and a pumpkin cream cheese layer that bakes into a custard-cheesecake hybrid. The center stays soft and spoonable while the edges turn golden and chewy.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
chilling 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 1 (15.25-ounce) yellow cake mix
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 large egg
Pumpkin Gooey Layer
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt
Topping
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and crust
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch pan and line it with parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides for lifting.
  2. Stir the cake mix, ½ cup melted butter, and 1 egg together until a thick, sticky dough forms.
  3. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan with lightly floured fingertips, pushing it all the way into the corners. Set aside.
Pumpkin gooey layer
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese for 2 minutes, until completely smooth and lump-free.
  2. Beat in the pumpkin purée, then add the 3 eggs one at a time, followed by the ½ cup melted butter and vanilla, scraping the bowl once.
  3. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Beat on low until smooth and pourable, about 1 minute.
Bake and cool
  1. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the crust and gently shake the pan to level it.
  2. Bake 45–50 minutes, until the edges are set and golden and the center still jiggles slightly when you nudge the pan. Underbake if needed so the center firms as it cools.
  3. Cool completely in the pan, about 2 hours, then chill 1 hour for the cleanest slices.
Finish
  1. Dust with powdered sugar, lift out by the parchment, and cut into 24 bars.

Notes

Pro tip: for the signature gooey center, bake until the edges are set but the center jiggles slightly—do not wait for it to look fully firm. Store bars covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Freezing is yes: wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese (texture may be slightly softer).