Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

Table of Contents

Ingredients: Instructions: Storing What if I don't have pumpkin pie mix? Pumpkin pie mix vs pumpkin puree: More pumpkin recipes: Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars Ingredients Instructions Notes Nutrition More Dessert Recipes Reader Interactions Comments Did you make this recipe? Let me know! FAQs References

Published: Sep 7, 2019 · Modified: Dec 5, 2020 by Anna 113 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

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Pumpkin Pie Bars are easy dessert bars made with canned pumpkin pie filling and from-scratch crust and topping, that's made in one bowl. The cinnamon crumb topping is irresistible!

Crumb bars are my favorite dessert bars to make ( right next to cheesecake! ), starting with the sour cream bars, their lemon version and of course, the caramel apple bars that are pure indulgence!

These Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars are a cross between pumpkin pie and my coffee cake with crumb topping. The creamy pumpkin filling pairs perfectly with buttery crust and topping. They make for a perfect no-fuss and low-key Thanksgiving dessert or just as a treat with a cup of coffee. I make them for almost all of our fall gatherings and holiday parties. Everyone loves them!

Ingredients:

butter
brown sugar
all-purpose flour
baking soda
baking powder
salt
cinnamon
cloves
pumpkin pie mix (in a can)
1 egg
vanilla extract

Instructions:

My favorite part of making these Pumpkin Pie Bars is that the crust and the crumb topping are made from one mixture. It's buttery with a perfect amount of cinnamon and cloves.

Simply mix all of the ingredients in a bowl, reserve about ¾ cup of it for the topping and press the rest into the bottom of a parchment paper-lined baking pan.
The filling is super easy since we are using a canned pumpkin pie filling, not a puree. Add one egg and ½ teaspoon of vanilla, whisk until smooth and pour over the crust.
Sprinkle crumb topping over the filling and bake in the preheated oven for 28 to 32 minutes.
Let cool completely before cutting. You can also cool the bars completely and then refrigerate for up to 2 days or until ready to serve.

Storing

These pumpkin bars can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve, up to 3 days. If you want to freeze them, wrap them tightly in saran wrap and place in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. Store in freezer for up to 3 months.

Any leftovers should be covered with saran wrap and stored in the fridge. Let them sit in the room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

What if I don't have pumpkin pie mix?

If you don't have pumpkin pie mix on hand, mix pumpkin puree with ½ cup granulated sugar and 1.5 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice mix.

Pumpkin pie mix vs pumpkin puree:

Recipes for pumpkin desserts call for either canned pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin pie mix. You should not substitute one for the other and here is why. Pumpkin puree is just that - clean pureed pumpkin without anything added. Pumpkin pie mix has spices, sugar and milk added and most of the time you only need to add eggs to it and it's ready to be baked in a pie crust.

I bought a large can of pumpkin pie filling and used it to make this irresistible Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip. The rest was used to make these bars. If you are a huge fan of pumpkin desserts, go ahead and make both! You will love them!

More pumpkin recipes:

My must-try Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
Pumpkin Lush Dessert Bars
Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte
Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars

Author: Anna

Easy dessert bars made with canned pumpkin pie filling and from-scratch crust and topping, that's made in one bowl. The cinnamon crumb topping is irresistible!

4.74 from 93 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 28 minutes mins

Total Time 38 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9 people

Calories 145 kcal

Ingredients

for the crust and topping:

▢ ½ c unsalted butter melted cooled to room temperature
▢ ½ c light brown sugar
▢ 1 ½ c all-purpose flour
▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

for the filling:

▢ 1 ½ cups pumpkin pie mix from a can, not puree
▢ 1 large egg
▢ ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the 8" square pan by greasing the sides and the bottom. Line with parchment paper. Set aside.
See Also
Parmesan Cheese Crisps Recipe (Plain or With Veggies)Sauerkraut Recipe: It Can’t Get Any Easier for the Perfect ‘kraut!Peppermint Brownie Cookies Recipe Graveyard Dirt Cake Cups Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt butter in microwave or on the stove and let cool to room temperature.
½ c unsalted butter melted
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
½ c light brown sugar, 1 ½ c all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Add melted butter and mix until crumbly dough forms.
Reserve about ¾ c of the mixture for the topping.
Press the remaining dough into prepared pan. Set aside.
Place all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer and mix until all combined.
1 ½ cups pumpkin pie mix, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pour over crust.
Sprinkle with the topping mixture.
Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
Cool completely in pan. Cut into squares.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days.

For the best crumb topping, cool butter completely after melting.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment with rating below!

This recipe was originally published on October 23rd, 2017 and updated on September 7th, 2019.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Did you make this recipe? Let me know!

Hannah says
February 17, 2024 at 5:13 pm
Everyone loves them! they're so good and so easy.
I made mine in a 9" by 13" pan and just doubled the recipe. It worked great.
Reply
Kick says
November 25, 2023 at 7:17 pm

Great stuff! Wish I could use less butter to cut calories, but no complaints from my family!!
Reply
Debbie says
November 23, 2023 at 9:05 pm

Just made for thanksgiving today, super easy and super delicious. Everyone raved about it
Reply
Ashleigh says
October 07, 2023 at 12:08 pm

Made this for the first time this Thanksgiving. Doubled the recipe and reserved double the crumble for the topping (could have reserved a tad more).
I added pecans to the topping on half of the pan and then drizzled the entire top with about 1.5-2 tbsps of maple syrup.
Increased baking time by about 7 mins. Even my littlest who doesn’t like pumpkin pie loves these. Will definitely make again.
Thanks for the recipe!
Reply
Alissa says
See Also
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
December 23, 2022 at 12:30 pm
Think this would work without the cloves?
Reply
- Anna says
  December 23, 2022 at 12:51 pm
  Yep, feel free to skip cloves. I hope you enjoy the pie bars, Alissa!
  Reply
LR says
November 26, 2022 at 4:07 pm

I had some leftover pumpkin pie mix from Pie Academy's Maple-Pumpkin Pie. I used the recipes to make the bars, and OH MY GOSH. This is now a family favourite!
Thank you for the easy-to-follow recipe!
Reply
- Anna says
  December 19, 2022 at 9:58 pm
  I love that! Thank you so much for making my recipe!
  Reply
kelley geiger says
November 26, 2022 at 3:26 pm
These bars are baking at the moment. So excited to see how they turn out. I made a pumpkin purée with a sugar pie pumpkin:).
Reply
- Anna says
  December 19, 2022 at 9:58 pm
  Great! I hope you enjoyed the bars! Thank you, Kelley!
  Reply
Jane says
November 24, 2022 at 6:23 pm

Big success this Thanksgiving. My guests liked this better than pumpkin pie. I did add a half cup evaporated milk to the pumpkin mix and used 1 1/2 eggs to bind it. I added a cup of roughly chopped pecans to the the top crust before baking. So we had the taste of two TG pies (pumpkin and pecan) in one yummy dessert. Serve with cool whip.
Reply
- Anna says
  December 19, 2022 at 10:01 pm
  We always make these bars instead of the pie too! I am so glad they were a hit! Thank you, Jane!
  Reply
Hita says
November 05, 2022 at 1:41 pm
Excellent recipe
Reply
Christene says
November 02, 2022 at 11:03 pm

Great recipe! Easy and fast and SUPER YUMMY! I did add 3-4 Tbsps of crushed hard gingersnap cookie to the crumb mixture as suggested by other reviewers and I liked it. I would not melt the butter - just use softened butter.
Reply
- Anna says
  November 04, 2022 at 2:06 pm
  Thank you for giving my recipe a try, Christene!
  Reply
B.G. says
October 27, 2022 at 3:05 pm

Yep, better and easier than pumpkin pie! These bars were a major hit!
Reply
- Anna says
  October 28, 2022 at 2:43 pm
  That's fantastic! Thank you for making my recipe!
  Reply
Beth says
October 25, 2022 at 9:06 pm
Hello!
These look scrumptious! I am planning on baking them this weekend for a family get-together. If I want to double the recipe in a 9x13 pan, should I adjust the baking time? Thanks so much for posting such a fun and easy fall dessert!
Reply
Teresa says
October 19, 2022 at 2:57 pm

I took this to a family get together and it was a big hit! Very easy to make and very very good! Would highly recommend it
Reply
- Anna says
  October 20, 2022 at 2:29 pm
  Thank you so much, Teresa! I am so glad the bars were a hit!
  Reply
Bun says
October 18, 2022 at 9:31 pm

I accidentally bought pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin purée. I decided to try to find another use for this big can. Am I ever glad I did. I’m pretty picky and this was an absolutely amazing recipe. Illl definitely make it again 🤩
Reply
- Anna says
  November 04, 2022 at 2:04 pm
  I am so glad the bars were a hit! Thank you for making my recipe!
  Reply

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Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between canned pumpkin and pie filling? ›

They are the same product. Both canned pumpkin puree and pie filling are useful, shelf-stable ingredients that can help speed up your kitchen prep time. Just remember that puree is unsweetened, while pie filling contains sugar and spices. This will help you choose the right pumpkin product for your recipes.

Know More ›

Why is my pumpkin pie chewy? ›

Dough that has been overworked or has gotten too warm will be tough and chewy like bread, not tender and flaky like pie crust should be.

Find Out More ›

What happens if I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree? ›

Pumpkin pie filling shouldn't be used in place of pumpkin puree since the finished dish will be too sweet. You can always set the can aside to make a quick pumpkin pie another day.

What is the most pumpkin pie filling made of? ›

Store-bought pumpkin pie mix (sometimes labeled "pumpkin pie filling") is a shortcut for making homemade pumpkin pie. It contains puréed pumpkin plus added spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It also contains sugar and other chemical additives.

Find Out More ›

Do you poke holes in pie crust before baking a pumpkin pie? ›

If you'd rather have flaky layers, par-bake the crust and let it cool before adding the filling. But don't dock it (docking is aerating the crust before baking by poking it with the tines of a fork). This will cause the custard to seep out into the bottom crust, defeating that whole "flaky" thing you were going for.

Know More ›

Why is it important to let the filling sit overnight before baking pumpkin pie? ›

For better pumpkin pie, refrigerate the filling overnight

To that end, we've found that refrigerating pumpkin pie filling overnight before using it not only enhances the spices' flavors, but also mellows them. Any “sharp edges” disappear, and you're left with a smooth meld of complementary flavors.

Tell Me More ›

How do you keep the bottom crust of a pumpkin pie crispy? ›

Prebake your crust

“Whenever it's possible, I prebake the crust,” says cookbook author and famed baker Dorie Greenspan. “It's such a good way to keep the bottom crisp and tasty.” This works best with single-crust pies, like Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie, and Chess Pie.

Discover More Details ›

What is the difference between Comstock and Wilderness Pie filling? ›

A: The only difference between Comstock and Wilderness is where it is available. Comstock is available in the East Coast & South while Wilderness is in the Midwest and Pacific NW.

Get More Info ›

Why is canned pumpkin better to use in baking? ›

Canned Pumpkin Delivers Consistent Results

That's because the amount of water in each pumpkin varies. That means your homemade puree can either yield a perfectly lush pumpkin pie from scratch or one that's unpleasant and watery.

Read On ›

Can you substitute canned pumpkin? ›

You can substitute almost any roasted and puréed squash for canned pumpkin. Frozen butternut cubes are a shortcut we think you should always have on hand. Bonus: They might also minimize the prep work you'll need to do.

Read On ›

Which canned pumpkin is best for pie? ›

Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin

In this taste test, our Test Kitchen pros found that the biggest name in the pumpkin game does, in fact, make the best canned pumpkin on the market. Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin is a favorite among our culinary crew.

Tell Me More ›