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Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe

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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!

pumpkin pie bars recipe a Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe

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 3/4 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 1/2 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.

pumpkin pie bars recipe 3 Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe

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 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1.5 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice mix.

pumpkin pie bars recipe 4 Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe

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:

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! 😀

4.94 from 31 votes
pumpkin pie bars recipe a 150x150 Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe
Print
Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
28 mins
Total Time
38 mins
 

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!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pumpkin bars, pumpkin pie bars
Servings: 9 people
Calories: 145 kcal
Author: Anna
Ingredients
for the crust and topping:
  • 1/2 c unsalted butter melted cooled to room temperature
  • 1/2 c light brown sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 c all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
for the filling:
  • 1 and 1/2 cups pumpkin pie mix from a can, not puree
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Prepare the 8" square pan by greasing the sides and the bottom. Line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt.

  4. Add melted butter and mix until crumbly dough forms.

  5. Reserve about 3/4 c of the mixture for the topping.
  6. Press the remaining dough into prepared pan. Set aside.
  7. Place all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer and mix until all combined.
  8. Pour over crust.
  9. Sprinkle with the topping mixture.

  10. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

  11. Cool completely in pan. Cut into squares.
Recipe Notes

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

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

Nutrition Facts
Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 145 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 45mg15%
Sodium 146mg6%
Potassium 51mg1%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Sugar 11g12%
Vitamin A 340IU7%
Calcium 31mg3%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Madeleine says

    This recipe is quick and easy. I’ve made these twice now, and they are delicious! I found it easier to use a pastry cutter to add the melted, cooled butter in order to make the crumbly dough, and I checked doneness with a knife coming out clean in the center.

    Reply

  3. Beth Osborne says

    Many of my family members do not like traditional pumpkin pie, so I thought I’d try these Pumpkin Pie Bars and it was a hit! I was lucky to get one piece of it. My daughter who is one of the family members not crazy about pumpkin pie loved it and wanted the recipe. Very easy and uses ingredients most people already have on hand.

    Reply

  4. Amber B says

    Super easy to make!
    I was wondering if I should keep it at room temperature or refrigerate? I am serving it in five hours. Thanks!

    Reply

  7. Cheryle says

    These Pumpkin Pie Bars are absolutely delicious!
    I used Bob’s Redmill 1 to 1 Baking Flour Gluten Free.
    I doubled the recipe and cooked it for almost another 20 minutes in a 13×9 pan.
    I highly recommend.

    Reply

  8. Shelby says

    Yummy! Planning to make these for Thanksgiving so tried a practice run today. I followed the recipe exactly and the flavor was great, but aesthetically and texture wise, mine don’t look exactly like the picture here. Mine came out taller and more powdery on top. I think next time I’m going to use an extra stick of butter to get more of a crumble on top and use a slightly larger pan to get a flatter bar and more even ratio of pumpkin to crumble.

    Reply

    • Anna says

      Hi Shelby! If the crumb top looks powdery, then you might have used too much flour. It should resemble coarse crumbs. I recommend fluffing the flour in the container first, then spoon into a measuring cup, level off the top, and use in the recipe. The dough should stick together pretty well to form crumbs and be easily pressed to the bottom for the crust, not be powdery. I do not recommend adding another stick of butter. That will change the ratios of ingredients and the result will be different from my recipe. I hope this helps!

      Reply

  10. Jan says

    Made this today! My husband and I love pumpkin anything so this was worth a try and we loved it. So easy to make! Definitely a keeper!

    Reply

  11. Hilary says

    Instead of brown sugar has anyone used coconut sugar or maple syrup instead of brown sugar? Oat flour instead of all purpose?

    Reply

  12. Tamie T says

    Love these. I adhered to the recipe with one exception and I never so that because I want to review the recipe as is however someone mentioned adding a tbs of ginger snap crumbs andi went for it.
    These bars were simple and taste amazing! I needed something portable for my buddy to take in his lunch on a rig where they are building a dam on the river. I’m doing his meal pep as he hasn’t bought a stove for his home yet! Can’t wait to get his feedback. I’m doing the pineapple coconut ones tomorrow.

    Reply

  13. Lori says

    Delicious and super easy to make. I added 2 heaping tablespoons of gingersnap cookie crumbs for the crust/topping and it have a really nice pop to the spices. Will make these again and will definitely share this recipe!

    Reply

  15. Amy says

    I used a can of the pumpkin pie filling and mixed exactly as you stated and it came out with the pumpkin layer being much thicker than is shown in your photo. I did just use the whole can, was that too much maybe? They are DELICIOUS and I LOVE them but it’s not exactly a “bar” like yours are.

    Reply

  16. Merri says

    Super easy to throw together and delicious. I whipped some cream cheese with some vanilla, sugar and a little evaporated milk, for another layer and it rocked! Great fresh or from the freezer. Definitely my quick “Go To’ dessert from now on.

    Reply

  17. Linda leewhy says

    This was absolutely perfect. My sister and I were trying to find a fall inspired dessert for Thanksgiving that we thought everyone could enjoy. After hours of searching, we stumbled upon these pumpkin pie bars. Lemme tell ya.. we bought a big can of pumpkin pie mix thinking that we would probably only use half of it, but everyone loved it so much we had to make a second batch! My dad, who is a diabetic, hates sweets, absolutely loved this. It was just the perfect amount of sweetness. Me, who doesn’t even like pumpkin, loved this! My sister requested it again for Christmas. This was such a simple and amazing recipe . Pair it with vanilla ice cream, some pumpkin spice powder and whipped cream to make it extra 😋 don’t forget the tea!

    Reply

  20. Kamila says

    Superrr simple to make and really good too. The dough was super simple and honestly was my favorite part, it was kind of crunchy and just so good. I didn’t read the directions carefully and didn’t realize this was for a 8×8 in pan, and I only had the standard 9×13, so I just ended up only using like half of the pan but it worked out just fine. A double portion would be just fine for the 9 x 13 in pan, I’m planning on making it again soon!!

    Reply

  21. T. Marie says

    Hi!
    My husband and I LOVE these bars. I had picked up a can of the mix by mistake and what do you know, I wasn’t going to throw it out. I went on line to find a recipe to use for it. This is the one that came up. Like I said, these bars are just GREAT. We love them with a cup of tea or coffee in the mornings, also. Freeze very well too.
    Thank!
    T. Marie

    Reply

  22. Sarah says

    These were really good. I didn’t see that it said pumpkin pie filling so I thought that would be bland. I added a tsp of pumpkin pie spice and extra vanilla. I think I should have at least added a little salt. Do you have any suggestions when using plain pumpkin instead of the mix? That’s usually what I have on hand so I’d rather use it up. Thanks!

    Reply

  23. Patti says

    I have leftover pumpkin pie filling that I made from scratch will this work as is it do I need to add anything? I do not have vanilla flavoring in my filling.

    Reply

    • Chrissy says

      I used left over from scratch pumpkin pie filling for these bars. It shouldn’t make a difference if it’s from scratch or canned

      Reply

  24. Nicolas says

    I’ve made this twice now
    Love it!
    I used pastry flour
    And for the filling I used an entire can of pumpkin pie filling and added evaporated milk to it as well

    Reply

  25. Maria says

    Anna!!
    Thanks for this delicious dessert! Love it.

    I made it for a work function and I tripled the batch. Here’s the changes I made. A triple batch fit perfect in a 13 x 18 cookie sheet. Since I was tripling I used 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup quick oats in the crust/topping dough.
    I also just used a 24 oz. can if purée with 4 eggs and brown sugar instead of white sugar to make the pumpkin purée substitution you taught.

    Drizzled with a cinnamon sugar glaze. (Mostly because it looks tan and pretty)

    Huge Hit!!! Thanks so much!

    Reply

      • Brandice says

        Very delicious. When it called for 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin pie mix I accidentally used all of the 1lbs 14 oz can lol. Still turned out very delicious. After storing in fridge in a container w/ lid they were very soft and moist but I just loved them even more!

        Reply

  28. Melissa McMillan says

    So easy to make and are very delicious. I did not have pumpkin pie in a can so used canned pumpkin and added the spices from the back of the can for pumpkin pie. Nice crunchy topping with a sweet smooth center. This will be replacing traditional pumpkin pie for me.

    Reply

  30. Angela says

    Made these yesterday for a family dinner; they were DELICIOUS! I do have a question though. The pie filling’s consistency was the same after baking as it was coming out of the can. Should the filling have ‘set’ like it does for regular pumpkin pie? Although I doubled the recipe for a 9 x 13 size, I followed it exactly. Any suggestions for having a little firmer filling?

    Reply

    • Anna says

      Hi Angela! I am so glad you enjoyed the bars! Thank you for trying my recipe! If you want the filling firmer, you can chill the bars in the fridge for an hour or so. Hope this helps!

      Reply

  32. VB says

    Girrrrrl! This recipe is wonderful! I doubled the recipe and made it in a 9×13 pan. I used pure pumpkin that I seasoned myself because that is what I had. I used real butter and viola! I also used the parchment paper which I don’t normally do. Cutting and clean up was a snap. Thank you for posting this recipe keeper!

    Reply

  33. Stephanie says

    Can I use gluten-free baking flour or almond flour instead of regular flour in the crust parts so everyone can enjoy?

    Reply

  40. Emily says

    Looking forward to pulling these out of the oven. I used pumpkin puree and added in some pumpkin pie spices as well as a little powdered sugar to make it a little more like a pumpkin pie filling. Also, I used a 10in round pan, so I doubled the crust/ topping recipe, but the regular amount of pumpkin filling was still enough to cover the whole pan! This recipe was so easy, I can’t wait to try them!

    Reply

  44. Lisa Nolan says

    I couldn’t find anything but pure pumpkin, which I used. All the different brands said pure pumpkin. I made them for some friends today……hope they tasted OK. They sure looked and smelled great!

    Reply

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