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Home / Holidays and Events / Thanksgiving Recipes / Desserts

Pumpkin Pie Bars (with Shortbread Crust!)

4.86
/5
1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
153 Comments
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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 10/09/2018

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Great classic pumpkin pie flavors without the hassle of dealing with pie crust!  Make your Thanksgiving easier with these Shortbread Pumpkin Pie Bars... perfect for a larger crowd! #pumpkinpie #pumpkin #Thanksgiving #crowd #shortbread #hasslefree #easyrecipe #bars
Great classic pumpkin pie flavors without the hassle of dealing with pie crust!  Make your Thanksgiving easier with these Shortbread Pumpkin Pie Bars... perfect for a larger crowd! #pumpkinpie #pumpkin #Thanksgiving #crowd #shortbread #hasslefree #easyrecipe #bars

All the amazing flavor of your favorite classic pumpkin pie, but without the finicky pie crust! These pumpkin bars are so easy to make, and taste great!

Great classic pumpkin pie flavors without the hassle of dealing with pie crust!  Make your Thanksgiving easier with these Shortbread Pumpkin Pie Bars... perfect for a larger crowd! #pumpkinpie #pumpkin #Thanksgiving #crowd #shortbread #hasslefree #easyrecipe #bars

Hopefully the weather is starting to cool down where you are.  We’re still plugging away in the mid to upper 80’s, BUT it’s supposed to cool down a lot for the weekend, and I can’t wait!  I’ve been in such a Fall frame of mind, and it’s hard to stay that way when I have to keep the AC running all the time lol.  One of the reasons I love Fall so much (other than the comfort and game day foods), is all the Thanksgiving recipes… specifically, the pumpkin pie!

I’ve gone on about my love/hate affair with pie crust (read about my epic crust fail HERE!), and you can actually listen to me talk about my epic cooking fail on this Dishing with Delishes Podcast episode.  So when I was testing pumpkin pie recipes, I really wanted one that didn’t need an actual pie crust.  So many of you have written me to say that you also have issues with making the perfect crust, and I love that.  We all have our strengths, and our areas we need improvement!  So I came up with this INCREDIBLY easy pumpkin pie bar recipe that uses a no pre-bake shortbread crust!

Serving up a slice of pumpkin pie bar

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE BARS

You’ll love how simple this recipe truly is.  First you need to make your crust, which is just combining flour and sugar and cutting some cold butter into it.  I usually use a pastry cutter for that, but if you’d rather use a food processor, just pulse it until you see coarse crumbs.  No need to roll the crust, it’ll still be powdery… just press it into the baking dish with your hands.  No need to pre-bake it either!

Next, you’re going to make the pumpkin pie filling.  Pumpkin pie is a custard-like mixture, so it comes together really quickly.  Combine your ingredients, and stir in the evaporated milk.  Just pour the filling over the crust, bake, and cool!

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN MY PUMPKIN PIE BARS ARE DONE BAKING?

This can be a little tricky, but I’m here to help!  Start checking around 65 minutes of baking time, and using an oven mitt, gently give the pan a little wiggle.  The bars should jiggle a little in the center, but not be wet and super jiggly all over.  Remember not to cut the bars right away… pumpkin pie needs time to set, which happens during the cooling and refrigerating process.  It’s so tempting to try a bite, but be patient… they’ll be worth the wait!

Pumpkin pie bar with whipped cream

HOW DO YOU STORE PUMPKIN PIE BARS?

Since this is homemade, and therefore preservative free, plus made with dairy and eggs… it needs to be refrigerated.  Just cover the pan tightly with foil and they’ll keep for 3-5 days.  You may notice when you take the bars out of the refrigerator they’re a little wet on top.  That’s totally normal and due to temperature changes.  Lightly dab it with a clean paper towel and it’ll be good as new!

WHAT ABOUT FREEZING… CAN THESE PUMPKIN BARS BE FROZEN?

Yes!  Just remember to cool them completely first, then cover the pan tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil.  Pumpkin pie bars can be frozen for 1-2 months, and to defrost them, just place in the refrigerator for a full 24 hours.

Pumpkin bar with bite taken out of it

WHY USE EVAPORATED MILK?

I love to use evaporated milk in this recipe because it’s thicker than normal milk, and has the flavor of cream, without adding all the fat and calories that heavy cream would add.  By no means is this a “healthy” pumpkin pie bar recipe… but every little bit counts, especially during the holidays right?  Some recipes call for using sweetened condensed milk… which would be delicious, but you’d need to omit some of the sugar in the filling.

PRO TIPS FOR MAKING PUMPKIN PIE BARS:

  • Plan ahead.  These bars have to cool and refrigerate for several hours for the custard to fully set, so make them plenty early enough.
  • Use quality canned pumpkin.  I’ve had the best results with this recipe, and others, by using Libby’s brand.  Store brand, for me, didn’t taste as good.
  • When making the crust, it may look like it’s not mixed enough.  It’ll still be pretty flour-y and powdery.  That’s okay, it all comes together in the oven… like magic!
  • When the pumpkin bars are finished baking, they’ll be puffy in the pan.  Don’t worry, as it cools, the filling will sink back down… just like a classic pumpkin pie would.
  • Pumpkin pie bars can be served cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed.  Personally, I prefer cold or room temperature.

SHOP THE RECIPE:

  • Baking Pan – I use this pan for nearly all my baking… it’s amazing and clean up is a breeze.
  • Pre-cut parchment paper – never struggle with a roll again!

OTHER GREAT PUMPKIN DESSERTS:

  • Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
  • Pumpkin Butter
  • Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
  • Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

 

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Great classic pumpkin pie flavors without the hassle of dealing with pie crust!  Make your Thanksgiving easier with these Shortbread Pumpkin Pie Bars... perfect for a larger crowd! #pumpkinpie #pumpkin #Thanksgiving #crowd #shortbread #hasslefree #easyrecipe #bars

Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust

4.86 from 55 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
Calories: 254
Servings: 15 servings
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Print Rate Pin
Great classic pumpkin pie flavors without the hassle of dealing with pie crust!

Ingredients

SHORTBREAD CRUST:

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup cold butter , cubed

FILLING:

  • 29 oz can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 (12 oz each) cans evaporated milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 F degrees.  Line a 9x13" baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set aside. 
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and 1/4 cup sugar.  Add cubes of butter and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two forks.  This can also be done in a food processor by pulsing until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  • Press crust into the prepared baking dish in an even layer and set aside.  To a large mixing bowl, add pumpkin, eggs, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and 2 cups of sugar.  Whisk or beat together.  Add evaporated milk and stir until well combined.  
  • Pour mixture over crust in prepared pan and bake at 425 F degrees for 15 minutes.  Leave the pan in the oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 and continue baking another 50-55 minutes, until filling is set.
  • Remove pan from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting into bars.  I usually make my bars the night before, so they're refrigerated overnight.
  • Slice into squares and serve with whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon if desired.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

1 serving = 1 bar
Slice panful of pumpkin bars horizontally in thirds (by making 2 slices across), then make 4 evenly spaced vertical slices to make 15 bars per pan.

Video

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!
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Great classic pumpkin pie flavors without the hassle of dealing with pie crust!  Make your Thanksgiving easier with these Shortbread Pumpkin Pie Bars... perfect for a larger crowd! #pumpkinpie #pumpkin #Thanksgiving #crowd #shortbread #hasslefree #easyrecipe #bars

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Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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4.86 from 55 votes

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Recipe Rating




  1. Pat Macoretta says

    Posted on 11/3 at 1:43 pm

    This was the best pumpkin pie recipe I have ever had, and so easy to make. I thought at first it would over flow but turned out perfect.

    Reply
  2. Steve Renton says

    Posted on 10/28 at 10:09 pm

    I made these today and they were delicious! I used gluten free flour in the base, and had excellent results! Nice buttery crust topped with delicious rich pumpkin custard! This recipe is a keeper. I prefer it to pumpkin pie; lighter and just as flavourful!!

    Reply
  3. Kathaleen Blanding says

    Posted on 10/28 at 8:59 am

    So easy and it serves alot more than a pumpkin pie

    Reply
  4. Conni Runfola says

    Posted on 10/24 at 2:57 am

    Very easy to make. The adults and kids loved these. Great recipe!

    Reply
  5. Janet larsen says

    Posted on 10/20 at 9:42 am

    Why puree and not regular pie filling?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 10/20 at 11:51 am

      Because pie filling has sugar and spices already in it, so you don’t want to double up on that with the other ingredients in this recipe.

      Reply
  6. Lois says

    Posted on 10/15 at 6:31 pm

    Delicious! Easy to make.

    Reply
  7. Barb says

    Posted on 10/14 at 3:17 pm

    Can you use fresh pumpkin purée than canned pumpkin to make the bars ?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 10/14 at 8:30 pm

      I haven’t tested the recipe using fresh pumpkin puree, so I can’t say for certain, but I think that would work well, provided the fresh puree is the same consistency as the canned stuff.

      Reply
    • Ashley says

      Posted on 11/14 at 1:23 pm

      I just made these with homemade puree and they turned out great! I followed the recipe exactly except I used only about 1 3/4 cans of milk instead of 2 since my puree was a bit more watery than store bought. I had to bake it for a few extra minutes, perhaps due to the slightly more water pumpkin. But they turned out really well!

      Reply
  8. Nadine says

    Posted on 10/10 at 6:28 pm

    Great easy recipe for a pumpkin fix

    Reply
  9. Jenni says

    Posted on 10/5 at 5:47 pm

    I subbed the flour in this for gluten free flour with one part Bob’s Redmill 1 to 1 and one part Bob’s Redmill gluten free oat flour and it turned out SO good. The only thing I wasn’t so prepared for is that this makes a BIG batch, so you could probably make a smaller batch by cutting the recipe in half and using a smaller pan. Thanks Amanda! 🙂 This one I will make again!

    Reply
  10. Marilyn says

    Posted on 8/23 at 2:49 pm

    I liked the way you explain why you do a particular step in the process of cooking..that is very helpful..most people will not go to the trouble to explain..well done Lady..

    Reply
  11. J.R. says

    Posted on 5/26 at 12:57 pm

    Doubled the crust. Used tapioca for and oat flour. Halved the sugar. Used coconut sugar and maple syrup instead of white sugar. Turned out great.

    Reply
  12. Suze says

    Posted on 2/28 at 1:53 pm

    Great recipe and these yummy pumpkin bars did not last a day! In the future, I will double the amount of shortbread crust. Additionally, I chose to bake at 425 for 15 minutes and lowered the oven temp to 350 for approximately 50-55 minutes. Adjusted the spices too. And yes, these are much better after refrigeration, but I couldn’t help myself. I ate two bars before they were cool and straight from the oven. Not sorry. A ‘keeper’ recipe! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  13. Pnut says

    Posted on 1/17 at 7:07 am

    These are absolutely delicious🌹🌹

    Reply
  14. Crystal Kawamura says

    Posted on 12/17 at 2:53 pm

    Do you think I could make this in a rimmed cookie sheet? Mine is a 15x21x1″.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 12/17 at 9:22 pm

      I’ve only tested this recipe as written. So without testing and retesting it myself, I can’t say for certain if that would work. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!

      Reply
  15. Elizabeth Mayhand says

    Posted on 11/26 at 7:02 pm

    This is delicious anytime of year! Double the shortbread crust for a nice change and sprinkle a bit of ginger into the recipe for a nice twist as well.

    Personally, I found this baked just fine on 350. I did not use the 425 as I have finicky oven. Just kept it in a bit longer, until it is fairly firm when pan is gently moved back and forth.

    Reply
  16. PK says

    Posted on 11/7 at 3:34 pm

    Can you use a gluten free flour blend in place of the regular flour to make this dessert gluten free? I’m not sure how the shortbread crust would turn out or if any modifications would need to be made.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 11/7 at 8:16 pm

      I’ve not developed or tested this recipe using gluten free ingredients, as no one in our family has Celiac disease, so I honestly couldn’t say with any certainty.

      Reply
    • Marnie says

      Posted on 1/23 at 9:15 pm

      I have made this with gluten free flour and lactose free butter in the crust and it came out great. Also since I cannot find lactose free evaporated milk , I sub lactose free half and half. No one seems to notice the difference. The gluten free flour I use is a one for one from Bob’s red mill.

      Reply
    • Steve Renton says

      Posted on 10/28 at 10:12 pm

      Yes you can! I used Robin Hood GG flour mix and they turned out amazing! Rich and buttery crust!

      Reply
  17. Judy Harley says

    Posted on 11/4 at 7:31 pm

    When you 3′ the recipe, use 3 pans, yes

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 11/4 at 8:06 pm

      Yes, otherwise all the batter and crust won’t fit.

      Reply
  18. Tracy Jungels says

    Posted on 10/27 at 2:43 pm

    I did not have evaporated milk, so I used condensed milk and eliminated the sugar.  They were not very sweet, but that was perfect for my family. I loved the crust better than a pie crust. I did not use parchment paper, I just greased the pan & the sides….it turned out great! 

    Reply
  19. Dee Dee says

    Posted on 10/15 at 3:06 pm

    The only thing I do differently is I use fresh pumpkin. No comparison. Just pick up one of the little pie pumpkins and follow directions to prepare the pumpkin glop. You will NEVER use canned pumpkin again.
    Oh, most canned “pumpkin” usually has a large butternut squash content. Just FYI.

    Reply
    • Charlotte says

      Posted on 4/17 at 1:21 am

      Wow i did not know about the butternut squash content! So thank you for that! I like butternut squash, but not in my pumpkin pie!! I’m excited to try it with fresh pumpkin next time. My partner mentioned how his grandma used fresh puree. Seems like a pain in the @$$, but i’m a baker, and all for purity and goodness!

      Reply
  20. Nina says

    Posted on 10/12 at 2:03 pm

    hi is there no butter in crust?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 10/12 at 9:16 pm

      No, there’s 1/2 cup of cold butter (cubed) as per the recipe 🙂

      Reply
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