Pumpkin Pie Bars taste like pumpkin pie, but are so much easier to make! Filled with candied pecans for the tastiest taste and healthier with whole wheat flour, a little less sugar and milk instead of cream.
It’s fall which means it’s time for all things pumpkin! Troy is a big fan of pumpkin so I decided to make these pumpkin pie bars. They are much more portable than traditional pumpkin pie because you can assemble them with your hands. They are quite simple to make and have a delicious homemade buttery crust, pumpkin pie crust and candied nuts on top for the yummiest taste.
With the holidays coming up, these pumpkin pie bars would be amazing to serve at Thanksgiving. Since they’re easier to eat than traditional pumpkin pie, they’re perfect for a larger gathering where people can grab and enjoy them as they move around the party. You can of course also eat them on a plate.
I went with an 8 x 8 pan for the recipe so the bars turned out nice and thick! They taste delicious, but are on the lighter side for dessert with less sugar, fiber from the whole wheat flour, and because I used 2% milk instead of the typical sweetened condensed milk or half and half.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Bars
This recipe has a good amount of ingredients, but most of them should already be in your pantry and fridge. You probably won’t need to buy too many new ingredients for this recipe.
- Whole wheat white flour – for extra fiber
- Brown sugar
- Butter
- Pumpkin puree- not pumpkin pie filling
- Eggs
- Crystal Sugar
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Milk- I used 2% but anything works. For a more indulgent recipe, use half and half
- Vanilla
- pecan
How to make Pumpkin Pie Bars
I was honestly a little scared to make these bars because I don’t like recipes that are too complicated and they are actually very easy!
First, line a glass baking dish with aluminum foil. You’ll want to leave some of the foil on the sides of the pan so you can easily remove the bars when they’re done cooling. Spray the foil with non-stick spray. Then mix the ingredients for the crust and bake the crust.
Beat the ingredients for the pumpkin filling and bake. When it looks like your bars are almost done – the bars are mostly set around the sides and just turning slightly right in the center, use a Taylor thermometer to check the temperature to make sure it’s right around 175 degrees. i love it Taylor thermometers because they work super fast, they’re waterproof and they’re digital. I have been using this brand for years and they work so well and are very affordable.
Once the pumpkin pie bars are done cooking, let them cool completely as they are much easier to cut once they are cool. Toast the pecans in butter and brown sugar and once the bars are cool, drizzle over the bars. Cut into squares to serve. These bars store well in the refrigerator for about 4 days.
Production efficiency: 9 large bars or 12 smaller bars
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Pumpkin Pie Bars taste like pumpkin pie, but are so much easier to make! Filled with candied pecans for the tastiest taste and healthier with whole wheat flour, a little less sugar and milk instead of cream.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Ctime ok: 40 minutes Ttotal time: 60 minutes plus chill time
COMPONENTS
- Crust
- 1 mug white-whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- Pumpkin filling
- 1-15 oz box pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup of 2% milk.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Glazed pecan layer
- 2/3 cup chopped pecan
- 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of butter
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a medium-sized pan as one 8×8 pan or 9×9 with foil or parchment paper for easy removal at the end. Spray the paper with non-stick spray.
For the crust, mix the flour, brown sugar and butter well in a bowl and press into the bottom of the pan. The mixture will be crumbly. Bake the crust for 10 minutes
- Meanwhile, whisk all the ingredients together large bowl for the filling and pour the filling into the crust. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the filling is firm but still wobbly in the center. Check that the internal temperature of the pie bars is at least 175 degrees with a Taylor thermometer.
Remove the pie from the pan and let it cool.
- In a medium sized pan over medium heat, add the pecans, brown sugar and butter and toast the pecans for about 2 minutes until the pecans are lightly toasted – watch carefully as they can burn easily.
Once the pumpkin pie bars have cooled, top with the pecan mixture and cut into squares to serve.
**Keeps well refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Enjoy!
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Pumpkin recipes
Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal Cups
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl
Pumpkin Cheesecake Overnight Oats
Mini Cheese Pies with Greek Pumpkin Yogurt
Cheesecake with Greek pumpkin yogurt
This post is sponsored by Taylor thermometers – a trusted brand that I have used in my kitchen for years.
