Ultra Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe (Shortbread Crust!)

These ultra-easy pumpkin pie bars are easy dessert bars made with pure pumpkin puree, an irresistible shortbread crust, cozy warm spices, and a cinnamon crumb topping. These pumpkin pie bars are the satisfying shortcut to pumpkin pie you’ve been craving!

In my humble opinion, fall baking is the best. I love warming up the house on a chilly day with the smell of pumpkin spice!

My grandma spent years teaching me (as a teenager) how to make her simple, delicious pie crusts. She patiently walked me through the process every fall when it was time to make pumpkin pies. Her crust and her pumpkin pie recipe were simple but amazing.

Unfortunately, my skills and knowledge never solidified because she began suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and started telling me all kinds of crazy variations from her recipe.

Oh how I wish I had been forward-thinking enough to write down her traditional pie crust recipe and method when I had the chance!

Now I’m embarrassed to admit that I let that knowledge slip. Life got busy, I got lazy. I didn’t keep practicing. Instead, I started using store-bought crusts. And my love for pies went out the door…

Ten or twelve years ago, we had some people over for a Friendsgiving potluck. One of our friends brought pumpkin pie squares.

They were incredible – like regular pumpkin pie (with its creamy spiced pumpkin filling) but in convenient bar form! When I found out that I didn’t have to make pie crust to feel like I was enjoying pumpkin pie, I was sold.

These pumpkin pie bars have a super easy, buttery, shortbread crust that doubles as the crumb topping. I absolutely love the combination of the airy crust with a smooth, creamy pumpkin filling topped with a cinnamon crumble.

The only word that comes to mind is…divine.

If you want a simple and stress-free dessert for fall or your holiday dessert table that will make an easy replacement to classic pumpkin pie, please oh please make sure you make these pumpkin pie squares. 

It’s a crowd-pleaser and perfect for any skill level.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe

I’ll argue all day long that pumpkin pie squares are better than pumpkin pie. Bold statement, I know. Let’s see if I can convince you:

Fuss-free & easy – These bars are even better than traditional pumpkin pie but they’re so much easier to make (trust me). And they cool faster than traditional pumpkin pie does, so they’re ready quicker.

All your favorite Fall flavors – The perfect amount of warm, cozy fall spices will deliver big and give you all the feels.

No pie crust – The simple press-in-the-pan shortbread crust skips all the dreaded chilling, rolling, and fixing tears. It adds the perfect taste and texture to pumpkin pie bars with a fraction of the work and time.

Perfect for gatherings – They’re easy to cut into any size you want and easily feed a crowd! One pan serves 24+, so they’re perfect for parties. And they’re handheld, so you don’t need utensils or plates.

Pumpkin Pie Squares Ingredients

You’ll need a few simple ingredients to make pumpkin pie bars. Gather together:

• All-purpose flour
• Nuts – finely chopped
• Sugar
• Brown sugar
• Butter
• Pumpkin purée
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Large eggs 
• Spices – ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice
• Salt

Helpful Kitchen Tools:

• 9×13-inch Baking Pan 
• Food Processor 
• Electric Mixer (Hand mixer or Stand)
• Glass Mixing Bowl 
• Whisk 
• Pastry cutter

NOTE: For more recipe details, check out the handy printable recipe card at the bottom of the post!

How To Make Pumpkin Pie Bars

These pumpkin bars are seriously much easier to make than traditional pumpkin pie. Just follow these step-by-step instructions.

Step 1 – Preheat The Oven

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease your 9×13 pan.

Step 2 – Make The Crust And Topping Dough

In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, nuts, sugars and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Add butter, mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/4 cups of the mixture.

Pat remaining mixture on bottom of ungreased 13×9-inch baking pan.

Step 3 – Make The Pumpkin Filling

Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.

Mix well and pour evenly over crust.

Step 4 – Add The Crumb Topping

Mix reserved crumbs with 1 tablespoon flour. Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.

Step 5 – Bake And Enjoy Your Pumpkin Pie Bars

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until set – try not to burn the crust! Cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Bars Expert Tips

Room temperature ingredients – I highly recommend using room temperature eggs for this recipe (but if you forget to let them sit out, it will still work – seriously, this is practically a no-fail recipe!)

How to know when pumpkin pie squares are done cooking – I recommend checking (and rotating) your bars at the approximate halfway mark. Your bars are done baking when you jiggle the pan, and the pumpkin filling barely jiggles. The top and sides may also turn golden brown. Please avoid burning the bottom. It will finish solidifying as it cools.

How To Serve Pumpkin Pie Squares

Serve them at a potluck or party – since you make them in a pan, they feed a crowd and are easy to transport to a gathering!

Toppings – Add some chopped nuts, a dusting of powdered sugar, homemade whipped cream, caramel sauce, pumpkin seeds, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Pumpkin Pie Bars Variations To Try

Topping – You can increase or decrease the crumble topping amount according to your preferences. Or, you could top your pumpkin pie squares with a dusting of powdered sugar or crumbled graham crackers.

Crust – Instead of a shortbread crust, you could make a delicious graham cracker crust, which would be amazing. Or if you prefer more a pie crust and enjoy making it, you could make these bars with a pie crust.

MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE – To make this simple pumpkin pie alternative gluten-free, you can replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour. Also, make sure that if you use graham cracker crumbs, you use gluten-free graham cracker crumbs.

MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE – To make these creamy pumpkin pie bars dairy-free, replace the sweetened condensed milk with sweetened condensed coconut milk.

Pumpkin Pie Filling vs Pumpkin Purée

Pumpkin purée is simply pureed pumpkin without anything added.

On the other hand, pumpkin pie filling has sugar, spices, and milk added. You cannot substitute one for the other in recipes.

In this recipe, only use pumpkin purée.

NOTE: I would recommend sticking with canned pumpkin rather than using homemade pumpkin puree because the homemade version will have much more liquid and the consistency can vary enormously. Canned pumpkin has the same consistency every time. 

Storage And Freezing Pumpkin Pie Bars

If you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers, they will stay fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Pro Tip: Make sure they are completely cooled before refrigerating.

FREEZING – These pumpkin pie squares freeze really well! To freeze, cool completely and then wrap tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost on the counter for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. Serve chilled or heat it up and serve it warm!

My family has certainly adopted a love for these pumpkin pie bars (and trust me…they were pumpkin pie devotees!).

More Must-Try Pumpkin Desserts And Other Recipes

If you love these ultra easy pumpkin pie squares, make sure you check out these other pumpkin recipes too!

• Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe (+ Cream Cheese Frosting)
• Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
• Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
• Air Fryer Pumpkin Hand Pies
• Pumpkin Ice Cream
• Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

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