Desserts Slices, Bars & Cookies Holiday Recipes Thanksgiving Pie Pumpkin Thanksgiving

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These great tasting Pumpkin Pie Bars are silky smooth, creamy and so much easier to make and serve than the traditional version.

Pumpkin-Pie-Bars- top down shot

It’s starts off with an incredibly easy to make short crust biscuit base. You don’t even need to bake it, because once you spend a couple minutes making the one-bowl pumpkin pie filling, it all goes in the oven together and bakes perfectly!

The result is a buttery crust with a creamy pumpkin filling that is soft and silky smooth. And it’s not a heavy dessert either which makes it the perfect ending to a holiday meal!

By the way, if you’re looking for an easy Pumpkin puree recipe, I have a great one here!

Pumpkin-Pie-Bars- close up of bite taken out

Table of Contents

What makes Pumpkin Pie Bars so good?

So many things to love about this incredibly silky and easy to make dessert!

Short crust base – it’s so buttery and it comes together with only a few ingredients. What’s even better is that it doesn’t need to be pre-baked!
Pumpkin pie filling – all made in one bowl using my pumpkin puree, then poured into the baking dish.
Whipped cream – so easy to make. I typically don’t sweeten my cream but you can add 1 tsp of caster sugar if you like.

Ingredients You Need To Make Pumpkin Pie Bars

Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post.

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All-purpose flour – also known as plain flour.
Powdered sugar – also known as icing sugar, helps keep the short crust pastry nice and fine.
Vanilla Extract – Always use good quality vanilla extract when baking, it makes a huge difference. I have a great recipe here for it if you’d like to try your own!
Butter – I used unsalted butter. You want to make sure your butter is cold.
Egg yolks – you only need the egg yolks for the short crust base. It helps it come together and makes it rich. You’ll use whole eggs for the filling.
Pumpkin Puree – You can use canned pumpkin puree for this recipe, not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling. Alternatively, you can make your own which is really easy using my recipe! Click here for all the tips and tricks to making your own pumpkin puree!
Caster sugar – also known as superfine sugar, you can use granulated sugar too.
Brown sugar – this gives the filling a nice rich flavor.
Corn starch – also known as corn flour – this helps give the filling some structure and keeps it together.
Heavy cream – is used to make the filling creamy and rich.
White pepper – optional but helps give the filling a gentle warmth.
Cinnamon – I used ground cinnamon powder.
Salt -I used fine salt.

How to make Pumpkin Pie Bars!

Crust

Prepare 9×13 inch baking tin
Combine flour, sugar and vanilla in a food processor

Add the butter and pulse until pea sized
Add the egg yolks until dough begins forming

Add to baking tin and spread evenly.

Filling

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix
Pour into baking dish and bake for 40 minutes.

Allow to cool, slice and serve for cream

Tips and Tricks For Recipe Success!

Take care not to overmix the pumpkin pie filling as it can cause cracking in the oven as it bakes.
Adding some food safe clips at the top of your baking tin to hold down the baking paper will prevent it from flying around in the oven.
Once baked, carefully run a knife around the sides to help release the pie as it cools and prevent it from cracking.
These bars are easier to slice and serve when they’re cold from the fridge, and frankly really yum when they’re cold.

Frequently Asked Questions about Pumpkin Pie Bars

What does it taste like?

SO delicious! If you’ve never had a pumpkin pie before, especially if you’re in a country like Australia like I am, then you want to give these a go! The base is buttery, the filling creamy and the entire thing like all round delicious!

How do I store this?

These can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Can I make the short crust base by hand?

Yep! Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl with the vanilla extract, then add the cold butter and smoosh together into the butter until it looks like fingernail sized pieces of flakes. Then add the egg yolks and mix in with your hands. Take care not to over mix the dough otherwise it will be tough.

Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!

Pumpkin Pie Bars

What makes Pumpkin Pie Bars so good?

Ingredients You Need To Make Pumpkin Pie Bars

Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post.