These easy pumpkin pie bars have everything you love about classic pumpkin pie, but they’re simpler to make and serve. A buttery graham cracker and toasted pecan crust holds a creamy, perfectly spiced pumpkin filling. Top each chilled bar with a dollop of whipped cream for a delicious fall dessert that’s perfect for Thanksgiving or holiday gatherings.
Love these!
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since updated it with new photos and additional success tips.
If you love pumpkin pie but want something a little easier to make and share, these bars are just the thing. Think of them as a more approachable version of classic pumpkin pie. There’s no traditional pie crust to prepare (phew!), but you still get plenty of creamy, deliciously spiced pumpkin flavor in every bite.
That’s why I’ve created bar versions of several popular pies on my site, including apple pie bars, cherry pie bars, and blueberry pie bars. You get all the familiar flavors of a homemade pie in an easier-to-make (and easier-to-serve) dessert. What could be better?!
One reader, Karla, commented: “People are still raving about these. People who ‘don’t like pumpkin’ even liked them. Highly recommend. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Liza, commented: “Made them for Thanksgiving and they were delicious. Cooked to perfection and everyone loved. The graham cracker crust with pecans is so much better than boring pie crust. ★★★★★“
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Pie Bars
- All the flavor of pumpkin pie and then some: Creamy pumpkin filling, warm spices… plus the added bonus of a buttery graham cracker pecan crust.
- Pie crust made easy: No rolling, chilling, or shaping pie crust required!
- Creamy, smooth filling: Heavy cream and eggs create a rich, custardy texture, while a little cornstarch helps the filling set.
- Perfect for sharing: The recipe makes a lot of servings, ideal for feeding a crowd. And they’re handheld so they’re perfect for serving at gatherings, parties, and holidays—anytime forks and plates aren’t really convenient… or you simply want to lighten the dishwasher’s load. (Same goes with mini pumpkin pies. I love handheld treats.)
- Make-ahead friendly: These bars need time to cool and chill, so they’re a great dessert to prepare in advance.
Pumpkin Pie Bars vs. Pumpkin Bars
These are pumpkin pie bars, not the cakey “pumpkin bars” you might be familiar with.
The distinction is in the filling: pumpkin pie bars have a smooth, custard-like pumpkin filling, just like traditional pumpkin pie. Pumpkin bars, on the other hand, are typically soft, cake-like squares topped with frosting… basically a denser, bar version of pumpkin cake.
This recipe is the bar version of pumpkin pie. So if you’re looking for a handheld version of classic pumpkin pie, you’re in the right place!
Grab These Ingredients
There are two simple components to these pumpkin pie bars: the crumb crust and the pumpkin filling. Both come together in a matter of minutes with basic baking ingredients:
Graham Cracker Crust Gets an Upgrade
This isn’t your typical graham cracker crust. Today’s pumpkin pie bars feature a delicious from-scratch crust made with pecans, graham crackers, a little sugar, and melted butter.
The pecans add a delicious toasted flavor that pairs beautifully with the creamy pumpkin filling. A Biscoff pie crust would make an equally delicious alternative. (In fact, that’s what we use for this pumpkin cheesecake pie.)
Process the nuts + graham crackers together until you have fine crumbs:
Then stir in the sugar and melted butter. Press the sandy mixture tightly into a lined 9×13-inch pan—lining the pan makes it easier to remove and slice the bars.
Then you’ll need to bake the crust.
Why prebake the crust? Giving the crust a 15-minute head start helps it set before you add the wet pumpkin filling. This keeps the crust from becoming soggy and gives the bars a sturdier base. Let the crust cool for at least 15 minutes before you add the…
Creamy Pumpkin Filling & Why It Works:
The filling is similar to my classic pumpkin pie. It’s made with canned pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, heavy cream, vanilla, cornstarch, and warm spices.
Brown sugar adds a deeper flavor than granulated sugar alone, while heavy cream gives the filling its rich, smooth texture. The eggs help the filling set as it bakes, and a little cornstarch provides additional structure so the bars are easier to slice.
Simply whisk the filling ingredients together until smooth, then pour the mixture directly into the prebaked crust.
My Secret Ingredient: A Pinch of Black Pepper
If you’ve tried my pumpkin pie recipe, you will recognize this little trick! A tiny pinch of freshly ground black pepper adds subtle warmth and depth to the pumpkin spices.
You won’t taste a distinct pepper flavor. Instead, it simply enhances the overall spiced flavor of the filling. It’s an unexpected ingredient, but one that makes a noticeable difference!
After baking, these bars need time to cool completely and then chill in the refrigerator. Chilling makes the filling firmer and helps you cut neat squares.
Don’t forget the whipped cream topping! I like to add a dash of pumpkin pie spice to my homemade whipped cream to give these bars that little something extra.
These pumpkin pie bars are a delicious addition to your lineup of Thanksgiving pies—or really any fall dessert spread!—especially when you want the flavor of pumpkin pie without any of the fuss. 😉
Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 18-24 bars
- Category: Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Like pumpkin pie, but so much easier! Made with a graham cracker and toasty pecan crust, these easy creamy pumpkin pie bars are irresistible.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full-sheet graham crackers)
- 1/2 cup (62g) chopped pecans
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 1 can (15oz; 425g) pure pumpkin
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- optional for topping: whipped cream and chopped pecans (see Note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides to easily remove the bars from the pan. Set aside.
- Make the crust: Using a food processor, pulse the graham crackers (or crumbs) and pecans together into crumbs. A few larger pieces of nuts is OK. Add the sugar and melted butter and pulse until combined. Press tightly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared baking pan. Pre-bake crust for 15 minutes.
- Cool the crust for at least 15 minutes as you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or simply using a whisk) beat/whisk all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl until smooth. Pour into the crust.
- Bake for 40–50 minutes or until the center is no longer jiggly. Remove from the oven, set on a wire rack, and allow to cool completely.
- Once cool, cover and place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. Remove chilled bars from the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into squares. Bars are best served chilled.
- Top with whipped cream and chopped pecans, if desired.
- Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The filling can be made, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days before pouring into crust and baking. Cooled pie bars freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Pan | Food Processor | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) or Glass Mixing Bowl and Whisk | Cooling Rack
- Pumpkin: I prefer canned pumpkin instead of fresh pumpkin puree in this recipe. I typically use Libby’s brand. Fresh will work in a pinch, but these pie bars are tastier and more firm with canned. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground allspice and ground ginger AND 1/4 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg and ground cloves. This is in addition to the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon—you will still add that. If using my homemade spice blend, which includes black pepper, you can leave out the black pepper in the recipe above.
- Crust Without Pecans: You can leave out the pecans in the crust, but you will need more graham cracker crumbs and butter. Add 1/4 cup extra graham cracker crumbs (2 full sheets/30g) and 1 more Tablespoon (14g) of melted butter. Pre-bake as directed.
- No Graham Crackers? Don’t have graham crackers where you live? Use 200g ground digestive biscuit crumbs (about 2 cups; 13–14 biscuits), 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar, and the same amount of pecans and butter. Pre-bake for 14-15 minutes.
- Whipped Cream: In the pictured bars, I used this whipped cream and I added 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and used vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally,
Is there a substitute you can use for pecans? I is would love to make this recipe but several people in my family are allergic to nuts.
I have a ton of little pumpkins left over from Halloween. I see you don’t recommend it for this recipe. Are there any pumpkin recipes you would recommend using fresh pumpkin purée?
Hi Cristina! Homemade pumpkin puree would be great in my pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes or pumpkin cake cheesecake.
Wow–these are delicious. i don’t usually have pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, but these are another story. Of course how could you go wrong with so much cream!
These pumpkin pie bars are delicious! I doubled the crust because I was worried it might be too thin. I packed it tightly and it did not crumble when cut/served. I was worried that my son would notice the pecans in the crust but he didn’t! The first night he had two bars with whip cream on top! Will definitely make these bars again.
Is it possible to omit the nuts in the crust? If so, do you have any nut-free recommendations on replacements? Thank you – looks delicious!
Hi Sally! Made these last night and let me just say that I will never be making a pumpkin pie again! Soooooo good! The crust is perfect!! Thank you so much for this recipe!!
I would have baked the crust for 6 mins. Overbaked by the time the bars were done.
Hi Sally, this pumpkin pie recipe sounds delicious! I would like to know if I could make more of the graham cracker crust? Often, I find that the crusts are too thin. Thank you
for all the detailed information and tutorials that you provide. I made my first homemade apple pie, with the information you provided for the pie crust. I am hooked, thank you!
Hi Marilyn, You can make the graham cracker crust thicker if you prefer! Just be sure to pack it in the pan tightly so it doesn’t crumble when you cut the bars. Enjoy!
Well, Sally, I made these pumpkin bars this morning, and we had them at the meeting tonight. What a hit! 11 people wiped it out completely. I cut the sugar back to 3/4 cup, as that is what my favorite pie recipe calls for, and 2 people remarked that they liked it because it was not overly sweet, the spices and pumpkin were really the stars of the dessert. Although it was thin, people also said it was a perfect balance between filling and crust. A definite keeper recipe! Thank you!
This will be perfect for the November meeting for an organization I belong to, but I will need enough to feed at least 65 people (there will be other desserts as well). Can these be made successfully in a larger pan, or would the edges be over done before the center was baked through? If these can be scaled up, what size pan would you recommend as the maximum size? Thanks!
Hi Janet! Happy to help. You can try tripling this recipe for a 12×17 inch jelly roll pan. I wouldn’t scale it up anymore than that. You can make a few pans of them. The bake time will be a little longer.
Thanks, Sally! Appreciate your help.
Yum, adding this to my Thanksgiving menu! Would this recipe still work in a pie dish?
Yes, definitely! The pie slices won’t be as stable as squares, so be careful slicing and serving.
Made these last year Sally numerous times. Everyone loved them. These bars will be
my pumpkin pie replacement. Great recipe!
Hi Sally,
I have plenty of sweet potatoes but not enough pumpkin.
Can I replace the pumpkin with sweet potato? Thanks
Sweet potato puree works in place of pumpkin, yes!
I made these last night for the first time. I always trust your recipes to be good, but I especially loved this one. The flavor is fabulous, and the graham crackers and pecans were a perfect complement to the filling. I toyed with using gingersnaps for the crust, but I’m glad I didn’t because the flavor would have overwhelmed the pumpkin filling. I’ll definitely keep making these! Thank you!
These bars are delicious and the perfect party snack for fall. The crust is fun and pairs perfectly. Thank you, Sally!
Hi Sally! Can I replace heavy cream for 2% milk??
Hi Brittni, I don’t recommend it. Your pumpkin filling would not be nearly as creamy and thick!
Hey there, how do you think this would turn out if I replace the heavy cream with full fat coconut milk?
Thanks
Should be just fine. Enjoy!
Sally this is the perfect recipe to use the leftover pumpkin I have! I have all of the ingredients except for pecans. Do you think I can use the shortbread crust you use for your salted caramel apple pie bars (which are one of the greatest things of all time, by the way☺). Thanks Sally!
Hi Lee! The shortbread crust wouldn’t be quite enough for this size pan. I would double it.
Looks delish! Do you think I could successfully use homemade graham crackers? I was thinking of using Smitten Kitchen’s recipe for those.
I can’t see why not!
Sally!
These bars were EASY PEASY to make and came out AMAZING! I was wondering what your thoughts were about replacing the graham crackers with cinnamon graham crackers??
Sounds SO GOOD!!
FABULOUS…I will be making it again for Thanksgiving!! Thank YOU Sally!!
How do you think the addition of chocolate chips would be?
Sounds delicious!
Would it work if I halve the recipe and make it in an 8×8 pan? Thank you!
Absolutely. The bars may be a little thick, but it will fit. I’m unsure of the bake time.
Hi Sally!
Do you think Biscoff cookies would work in the crust, instead of the graham crackers?
Can’t wait to make this 🙂
I can’t see why not!
Baking is my therapy as well & I baked this tonight. Just finished a still slightly warm piece & it was delicious! I love the texture & flavor of this crust with the creamy dreamy pumpkin pie filling. Cinch to make & came out beautifully, thanks Sally! Your baby girl is precious
I just tried these, they turned out great!
At home we love pumpkin pie but these are easier to make.
I will make them again!
Thanks Sally
These were so much fun to make! They taste divine! Thank you for another great recipe – so much easier to make than a pie 🙂
What can you substitute for the heavy cream? I am trying to watch the calories, but want the recipe to taste delicious. Thanks
I don’t recommend any subs for heavy cream– it’s a must for these bars. Half-and-half or milk wouldn’t set up the bars.
I don’t see any issue with that at all! Though I would be weary that the pie slices won’t be as stable as squares, so be careful slicing and serving.
Yes yes yes of course!