Pumpkin Pie Bars

Fall is here, and there’s nothing quite like the warmth of pumpkin pie bars to celebrate the season. With a buttery shortbread crust and a spiced pumpkin filling, these easy treats are the perfect blend of cozy and delicious, making them a must-try for your autumn gatherings or even just a cozy night at home.

What’s your favorite type of pie to enjoy when the fall season hits? Mine is definitely pumpkin pie. But sometimes I just don’t want to make a whole pie. I don’t want to fight with the crust. I don’t want to roll it out in a perfect thickness only to have it crack and break and not turn out how I want it.

Because, if I’m going to make a pie I want it to be pretty. and sometimes it’s just not worth the frustration. That’s where pumpkin pie bars come in. These give you that same type of pumpkin pie feel but with an easier process.

And while I still like the way they look, there’s no pressure to make pumpkin pie squares a thing of beauty. It’s all about taste, am I right?

I like to top these bars with some whipped cream and caramel sauce. And more whipped cream.

Did I mention whipped cream?

Pumpkin pie just feels like it’s missing something without whipped cream.

I enjoy all the pumpkin flavored food in the fall, but I have to be honest – we are having an unseasonably warm autumn and it just doesn’t feel the same walking around the pumpkin farm, pumpkin latte in hand, in shorts and flip flops. I need some fall sweater weather!

But even without the fall weather I’m still going to enjoy the pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin waffles, and pumpkin lattes.

Here in Canada it’ll just be a few more weeks until we celebrate Thanksgiving with some pumpkin pie. I know for our US friends you have a little longer to wait, but who says you can’t just make some pumpkin pie bars to celebrate the fall season in October just because?

I mean, really, if you serve your family pumpkin flavored anything a little early, who’s going to complain? No one. That’s who.

So go and make these pumpkin pie bars. You’ll be happy – your guests or your family will be happy – everyone wins!

Tips for Making Pumpkin Pie Bars

• Make sure you really pack that crust in the bottom of the pan so it doesn’t fall apart.
• Refrigerate bars for a few hours after baking for easier, cleaner slicing.
• Top the bars with whipped cream, caramel, or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Keep in an airtight container in the fridge. They last about a week.
• Overbaking will cause your pumpkin pie filling to crack. Take it out when the sides are firm but the middle has a slight jiggle to it still.

Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe

Ingredients:

Crust

• 3/4 cup butter, cold
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 3/4 cup flour

Filling

• 1 29 ounce can of pureed pumpkin
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/8 ground cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cans evaporated milk

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper.

Step 2:

Cream the butter and icing sugar together. Add the flour and mix until completely combined.

Step 3:

Press the dough into your baking dish. You’ll want to make sure you really push down on the dough. This will help it stay together.

Step 4:

Bake for 10 minutes. Take it out and let it cool.

Step 5:

While your crust is cooling you can make your filling. In a large bowl mix the pumpkin, eggs, salt, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, vanilla, white sugar and brown sugar together.

Step 6:

Add the two cans of evaporated milk and mix until fully incorporated.

Step 7:

Pour into the baking dish, over the shortbread crust. Put it back in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes. You want to make sure the filling is set so the edges will be firm but the middle will be jiggly. Kind of like Jell-o. You don’t want it to be liquid in the middle so make sure it isn’t “swooshing” like water.

Step 8:

Let them cool completely before you cut into them. Also, as you can see below, my pumpkin pie filling cracked. It happens to the best of us. Just cover it with whipped cream and move on. Or serve it with the crack and tell everyone it’s “rustic.” No one will mind, trust me.

Top with some whipped cream and caramel sauce. You can buy caramel sauce to save time or make the recipe I use for caramel sauce with my Upside Down Caramel Apple Cake.