Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars with Buttery Shortbread Crust: Your Go-To Thanksgiving Dessert
As the leaves begin to turn and a crispness fills the air, there’s one dessert that truly captures the essence of autumn and holiday gatherings: pumpkin pie. While the traditional pie holds a special place in our hearts, sometimes you need a recipe that offers both convenience and capacity, especially when you’re baking for a crowd. This is where these incredible Pumpkin Pie Bars truly shine! Forget the fuss of individual pie crusts; this easy recipe features a rich, buttery Shortbread Crust that bakes perfectly in a 9×13 baking dish, delivering pure pumpkin pie perfection in a versatile bar form. It’s the ideal solution for feeding many happy faces with minimal effort, making it a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving dessert spread.
For those who eagerly await Thanksgiving, with visions of a table laden with delicious foods, and count pumpkin pie among their absolute favorites, then prepare for this pumpkin pie bar recipe to transform your holiday baking experience. This delightful twist on classic pumpkin pie will captivate your senses from the very first bite. Imagine sinking your teeth into a generous slice, experiencing the warmly spiced, creamy pumpkin filling perfectly complemented by a tender, flaky, and buttery shortbread crust. The combination is simply divine! The best part? You don’t have to reveal how incredibly simple these are to prepare. Just serve up a delectable pumpkin slice topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, and let the smiles do the talking. Your secret to effortlessly impressive fall baking is safe with me.
Pumpkin Pie Dessert Bars: A Crowd-Pleasing Alternative
Now, let me be clear: my affection for traditional pumpkin pie runs deep. In fact, when it comes to our family’s Thanksgiving feast, I’m proudly designated as the pie baker. Every year, I lovingly prepare at least five homemade pies, each featuring a scratch-made crust. My repertoire includes not only classic pumpkin but also my cherished pecan pie, a comforting peach crumb pie, and an indulgent French silk pie. So, when I stumbled upon this brilliant slab pie recipe, I knew instantly that I had to give it a try. The concept of maximizing the ‘mileage’ from a single pumpkin pie recipe was incredibly appealing. Plus, as a devoted fan of shortbread, the idea of a pumpkin pie with shortbread crust sounded like an absolute winner, promising a unique texture and flavor profile that traditional crusts simply can’t offer.
These versatile **pumpkin pie dessert bars** can be neatly cut into twelve generous squares, providing a substantial dessert portion for your guests. However, if you’re hosting an even larger gathering, you can easily halve each square into elegant triangles, allowing you to serve up to 24 guests with ease and style. This makes them an incredibly efficient and delicious option for any large fall gathering, from casual potlucks to formal holiday dinners. They offer all the beloved flavors of pumpkin pie without the individual effort of multiple pie tins, streamlining your baking process and freeing up precious oven space.
Fall 2021 Freaky Friday: A Delicious Discovery
I feel incredibly fortunate to have discovered this fantastic recipe during our latest Freaky Friday blog hop! For those unfamiliar, Freaky Friday is a delightful tradition where a group of food bloggers are secretly assigned another blogger’s website. Each participant then selects and creates a recipe from their assigned blog, and all our delicious reveals happen simultaneously on the same exciting day. And that exciting day, my friends, is today! Hooray for culinary camaraderie and new recipe finds!
For this particular round, I had the pleasure of exploring Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog. Let me tell you, choosing just one recipe from Kathryn’s expansive collection was no simple feat! Her site is brimming with so many mouthwateringly delicious options that narrowing it down felt nearly impossible. In fact, I ended up making two of her recipes – that’s how good they all looked! But these irresistible pumpkin bars are the featured recipe I’m thrilled to share with you all today, a true testament to Kathryn’s culinary talent and an instant hit in my kitchen.
Spotlight on Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
Kathryn, a fellow food enthusiast and talented recipe developer, resides in beautiful Monterey, CA, with her husband and their adorable baby daughter. A fascinating tidbit I learned about her is that her father owns two restaurants in Monterey, and – what a small world! – I’ve actually had the pleasure of dining at one of them. My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful meal at Domenico’s about five years ago during a visit to Monterey, long before I knew about Kathryn’s blog!
Just like me, Kathryn cultivated her passion for cooking from a young age. She loves both developing fresh, innovative recipes and thoughtfully re-imagining classic dishes, often giving them a healthier twist while still cherishing her love for sweet treats. Her blog is a treasure trove of diverse and inspiring recipes, catering to various tastes and dietary preferences. I’m genuinely excited to try even more from her collection in the future, including her highly-rated Cauliflower Mac ‘n Cheese, her comforting Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream, and this absolutely fantastic-looking Smoked Salmon Flatbread! Her dedication to wholesome yet delicious food is truly inspiring, and I highly recommend exploring her site for your next culinary adventure.
Simple Ingredients for Delicious Pumpkin Pie Bars
Crafting a batch of the best pumpkin pie squares doesn’t require an arsenal of exotic ingredients or a special trip to a gourmet store. In fact, you’ll likely find most, if not all, of what you need already stocked in your pantry. Simplicity and readily available ingredients are part of what makes this easy pumpkin bar recipe so perfect for any home baker looking to create a homemade fall dessert without unnecessary complexity.
For the Buttery Shortbread Crust:
- Unsalted butter: Essential for that rich, buttery flavor and tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that defines a classic shortbread. Ensure it’s cold for best results when mixing.
- Granulated sugar: To add a subtle sweetness to the crust, balancing the richness of the butter.
- Salt: A small pinch of salt enhances all the flavors and provides a nice contrast to the sweetness.
- All-purpose flour: The backbone of any good shortbread, providing structure and a delicate crumb.
- Ice water: Key to keeping the butter cold during mixing, which is crucial for achieving a light, flaky, and tender shortbread crust rather than a tough one.
For the Creamy Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- Pumpkin puree: Make sure it’s 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which often contains added spices and sugar. The pure version gives you full control over the flavor.
- Large eggs: Act as a binder, giving the filling its smooth, custardy texture and helping it set perfectly.
- Evaporated milk: Contributes to the creamy richness and velvety texture of the pumpkin filling, making it wonderfully decadent.
- Pumpkin pie spice: The iconic blend of warming spices—cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves—that truly defines fall flavors.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds an extra layer of warmth, aroma, and a classic fall spice note to the filling.
- Cornstarch: Helps to thicken the filling and prevent it from being watery, ensuring a firm, sliceable bar.
- Vanilla extract: A touch of pure vanilla extract rounds out the sweet and spicy notes, adding depth of flavor.
- Granulated sugar: To sweeten the pumpkin filling to perfection, balancing the earthiness of the pumpkin and the warmth of the spices.
Find all of the exact measurements and detailed instructions in the printed recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust
Making these delectable Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust is a straightforward process, even for novice bakers. Follow these simple steps for a truly delightful autumn treat that will impress everyone.
Begin by making the Buttery Shortbread Crust:
First, preheat your oven to a precise 425 degrees F (220 C). In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold unsalted butter (cut into cubes for easier mixing), granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, and the all-purpose flour. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, mix these ingredients together on a low speed until the mixture takes on the appearance of coarse sand or small crumbs. This ensures that the butter is well-distributed but still in small pieces, which is crucial for a tender and flaky shortbread texture. Gradually add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, continuing to mix on low until the dough just begins to come together and forms a cohesive ball. Be careful not to overmix, as this can overdevelop the gluten, leading to a tough crust instead of a delicate one.
Next, prepare your 9×13-inch baking dish. Line it generously with parchment paper, ensuring some excess parchment hangs over the edges on all sides. This overhang will act as convenient ‘handles’ later, making it incredibly easy to lift the entire slab of baked bars out of the dish for clean cutting. Using your fingers, firmly and evenly press the prepared shortbread dough into the bottom of the lined baking dish, forming a uniform layer across the entire surface. Bake this shortbread crust for approximately 15 minutes, or until you notice the edges turning a light golden brown and the center appears set and slightly firm. Once baked, carefully remove the crust from the oven and set it aside to cool slightly while you prepare the filling. Do not turn off the oven completely, as you will need it for the next step, but reduce the temperature.
Next, prepare the Creamy Pumpkin Filling:
While your crust is cooling, reduce your oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 C). In a large mixing bowl, combine all the pumpkin pie filling ingredients: the 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, two large eggs, the 12-ounce can of evaporated milk, 1½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, 1½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1¼ cups of granulated sugar. Whisk everything together thoroughly until the mixture is completely smooth and well combined. This ensures an even distribution of all the wonderful fall spices and a consistent, lump-free texture in your finished bars. The cornstarch is particularly important here, as it acts as a thickening agent, helping to firm up the filling and preventing it from being watery, ensuring a perfect slice every time.
Carefully pour the creamy pumpkin filling evenly over the partially baked shortbread crust in the prepared baking dish. Gently spread it to cover the entire surface. Return the dish to the preheated 350-degree F oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. You’ll know the pumpkin filling is done when the edges are set and slightly firm, and the center is set and no longer jiggly when gently shaken. A slight wobble in the very center is acceptable, as it will continue to set as it cools. Overbaking can lead to cracks in the filling, so keep a close eye on it! Once baked, remove the pumpkin pie bars from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for at least an hour at room temperature. For those who enjoy their pumpkin pie chilled and firmer, transfer the cooled bars to the refrigerator for an additional hour (or more) before serving. Chilling helps the bars set completely, making them significantly easier to cut into neat, clean squares and offering a refreshing contrast to the warm spices.
Finally, Serve the Delicious Pumpkin Shortbread Bars:
Once completely cooled, or chilled to your preference, it’s time to serve these delightful pumpkin shortbread bars! Gently lift the entire slab out of the baking dish using the parchment paper overhang – those handles make it so easy! Transfer the slab to a clean cutting board and slice into neat squares or even festive triangles, depending on your serving preference. For the ultimate presentation and flavor, top each bar with a generous swirl of freshly whipped cream. A light dusting of extra cinnamon or nutmeg can add an inviting visual and aromatic touch, enhancing the overall experience. These bars are perfect for any fall gathering, holiday party, or simply as a comforting treat with your afternoon coffee or tea. Enjoy the rich flavors of autumn in every bite!
Love Them? Pin Them!
Don’t let this fantastic easy pumpkin pie recipe slip away when you need it most! Make sure you can easily find it whenever your fall baking cravings hit or when planning your next holiday feast. Pin this recipe to your favorite Pinterest dessert board or holiday inspiration board before you leave. Sharing is caring, and your friends and family will surely thank you for introducing them to these utterly delicious pumpkin pie bars with a perfect shortbread crust!
FAQ, Tips, and Tricks for Making the Perfect Pumpkin Pie Bars
Achieving perfect pumpkin pie bars is easy with a few helpful tips and tricks. Here are answers to some common questions to ensure your fall dessert turns out flawlessly every time, whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out.
- Do pumpkin bars need to be refrigerated? If you’re planning to enjoy your homemade pumpkin bars shortly after they’re baked and cooled (within a few hours), they can remain at room temperature. However, for longer storage or if you’re preparing them in advance for an event, refrigeration is definitely recommended. The dairy and egg-based filling benefits from being kept cold to maintain freshness, food safety, and a firmer texture.
- How long will these pumpkin pie bars keep? When properly stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, these delicious pumpkin pie bars will maintain their quality and freshness for up to 5 days. This makes them an excellent make-ahead option for busy holiday seasons, allowing you to prepare them a day or two in advance.
- Can pumpkin pie bars be frozen? Yes, you can absolutely freeze pumpkin pie bars, and they freeze wonderfully! Just be aware that upon thawing, the pumpkin filling may develop slight cracks on the surface due to moisture expansion and contraction. Don’t worry, though – a generous swirl of whipped cream can easily mask any minor imperfections! For the best quality, consume frozen pumpkin pie bars within 3 months of freezing. To freeze, wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Tip for Clean Slices: For perfectly clean and neat slices, especially when serving a crowd, ensure your pumpkin pie bars are thoroughly chilled. Cold bars hold their shape much better. Use a sharp, thin knife (a long chef’s knife or a pastry knife works well) and wipe the blade clean with a warm, damp cloth after each cut. This prevents sticking and ensures beautifully sharp edges for every piece.
More Pumpkin & Shortbread Recipes to Love
We adore all things pumpkin and shortbread, especially as the fall season deepens. If you enjoyed these Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust, here are some more of our absolute favorites to inspire your baking and satisfy your sweet tooth:
- Pumpkin Spiced Coffee Cake with Brown Butter Glaze (pictured above)
- Grinch Shortbread Bites
- Pumpkin Pie Turnovers
- Almond Raspberry Shortbread Thumbprints
- The Best Pumpkin Bread
- Lavender Shortbread
- Spice Cookies with Pumpkin Dip
- Dipped Shortbread Cookies
Take a look at all of our 2021 Freaky Friday Fall Edition Recipes:
- An Affair from the Heart – Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust
- Aunt Bee’s Recipes – 30 Minute Skillet Lasagna
- The Carefree Kitchen – Brazilian Cheese Bread
- Devour Dinner – Instant Pot Applesauce
- Fresh April Flours – Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- The Fresh Cooky – Air Fryer Ravioli
- The Foodie Affair – Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Recipe
- Hostess at Heart – Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Cookie Recipe
- House of Nash Eats – Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog – Halloween Monster Cookie Recipe
- Lemoine Family Kitchen – Creamy Vegetable Gnocchi Soup
- Life Currents – Loaded Potato Skins
- Life, Love & Good Food – Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- The Speckled Palate – Tortellini Butternut Squash Pasta with Pancetta and Spinach
- Sue Bee Homemaker – Overnight Sourdough Bread
- Take Two Tapas – Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
Now that you’re equipped with this incredible recipe and all the tips for success, it’s time to preheat your ovens and get baking! Let’s whip up a batch of these undeniably yummy Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust and bring some festive fall cheer to your kitchen. Happy baking! 
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Print Recipe
Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust
Equipment
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KitchenAid Hand Mixer
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Rubber Spatulas
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Glass Batter Bowl
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9×13 Pyrex Baking Dish with a Lid
Ingredients
- For the Shortbread Crust:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 2 Tablespoon ice water
- For Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 1 12 ounce evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
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Make the Shortbread Crust: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine butter, sugar, salt, and flour with your mixer until it resembles coarse sand. Add the water slowly with the mixer, until the dough forms. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Let some of the parchment paper hang over the edges. Press the dough into the baking dish in an even layer, using your fingers. Bake the shortbread crust for about 15 minutes, or until it becomes light golden brown on top and it set in the middle. Remove from oven, set aside.
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Make the Pumpkin Filling: Reduce oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl until combined. Pour the pumpkin filling over the crust and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center is set and no longer jiggly. Remove from oven and let it cool for about an hour. If you prefer your pumpkin pie chilled, place it in the fridge for at least another hour
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To Serve: Pull the bars out of the baking dish by holding the parchment paper. Cut into squares. Top with whip cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Notes
Nutrition