Pumpkin pie has always been my favorite Thanksgiving dessert, but after years of hosting holiday gatherings and bringing desserts to countless potlucks and family celebrations, I’ve learned that sometimes the most beloved flavors deserve an easier approach. These pumpkin pie bars with shortbread crust capture everything we love about classic pumpkin pie but in a way that’s so much easier to make, serve, and share.
I’ve tested this recipe over and over to get that perfect pumpkin pie vide with a silky smooth pumpkin filling and warm fall spices. But here’s what makes these bars next-level great: a press into the pan shortbread crust that eliminates all the fussy parts of pie-making. No blind baking, no rolling, no crimping, no worrying about soggy bottoms or cracked edges. These bars slice cleanly, stack beautifully for transport, and honestly? They disappear faster than traditional pie does.
Whether you’re someone who loves baking but craves simplicity, or you’re the friend everyone counts on for dessert (hello, that’s probably you!), these pumpkin pie bars are about to become your new signature fall treat. They’re everything we want our fall and holiday baking to be: totally delicious, completely doable, and guaranteed to make people ask for the recipe.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Shortbread Bars
Easy, press-in crust (no rolling!). The crust for these bars couldn’t be easier. You simply combine flour, sugar, a pinch of salt, and cut in some butter. You can even use a food processor for easy combining. Then you press the course crumbs into your baking dish.
Silky, decadent, pumpkin pie filling. Oh the filling. It has the perfect level of fall spices, and is ultra smooth and creamy.
Short and easy prep. In a few minutes you’ll have your crust ingredients combined and pressed into the pan. While it pre-bakes, you’ll get your pumpkin filling mixed together… and then it’s just waiting for the baking to complete.
Great for groups! Whether you’ve got a large family or are sharing this at Friendsgiving, making a 9×13 pan of bars is always a great choice when gathering groups together.
If you love pumpkin desserts, be sure to try our pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting too!
Ingredients For Our Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe
Crust Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour. We’re using all-purpose flour for our shortbread cookie crust because it provides a denser structure, lending to a good base for our pie bars.
- Granulated sugar. Used to sweeten our base.
- Salted Butter. Butter is the key to making shortbread! It contributes to the perfectly tender yet crumbly texture you’d expect. I use salted butter (because it’s what we always have on hand, and is my preference for baking). You can use unsalted if preferred, just increase the salt added a smidge.
- Salt. Is a flavor enhancer that also helps balance the sweetness for the perfect shortbread crust.
Filling Ingredients:
- Pumpkin Puree. I use canned 100% pumpkin puree, but you can use homemade if you make your own too.
- Evaporated Milk. This shelf-stable ingredient is a common ingredient for pumpkin pie and for good reason! Not only does it helps thicken the filling, it helps create a creamier, richer, and more tender pie filling.
- Large Eggs. Eggs act as a binder, gives structure, and adds richness to our pumpkin filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice AND Cinnamon. We’re using pumpkin pie spice to keep things simple, and also amp up the cinnamon to really make our filling stand out.
- Salt. Salt is a flavor enhancer that brings out the flavors of our other ingredients, and also helps balance the sweetness of our bars.
- Brown Sugar AND Granulated Sugar. We’re using a combination of brown and white sugar to create the perfect filling! The molasses in the brown sugar adds a rich, caramel-y flavor that plays off the fall spices. The white sugar helps give the filling a smooth, consistent texture.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for full measurements and directions.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Optionally line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Make the shortbread crust by whisking together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, and salt) in a medium mixing bowl.
Add the cubed and COLD butter to the crust and cut it in with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.
Press the mixture into the bottom of the 9×13 pan.
Pre-bake the crust for 15 -18 minutes until lightly golden.
While the crust is baking, make the pumpkin pie filling. Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk to break up the yolk.
Then add the evaporated milk and pumpkin. Whisk to combine.
Add in both sugars and the spices and whisk to combine.
Pour the filling into the hot crust.
Bake the pie bars for 40-50 minutes until the center is mostly set (a little jiggle is fine!).
Allow the bars to cool to room temperature (about 1 hour), and then transfer them to the fridge to cool completely (at least 1 more hour, ideally longer).
How Long to Bake Pumpkin Shortbread Bars
We pre-bake our crust for about 15 minutes to help ensure we don’t have a soggy crust. Then we add our pumpkin filling and bake for another 40-50 minutes. The center of your bars should be mostly set. You don’t want it to look wet and super jiggly in the center (a little wiggle is ok). So our total bake time is around 1 hour.
Tips for Making Our Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe
Don’t overbake. The center should be *just a little bit* jiggly when you remove the bars from the oven. They will continue to cook as the bars begin to cool down. This will result in the best texture and eating experience.
Remember to not to cut your bars right away! I know it’s hard to wait, but like a regular pumpkin pie, your bars need to set before serving. This happens during the cooling and refrigeration process. It’ll be worth the wait, I promise!
Plan ahead! You’ll need at least 3-4 hours for baking and cooling before your bars are ready to enjoy. Since our easy pumpkin pie bars hold up well in the fridge for several days, I recommend baking your bars at least 1 day before you’ll be serving them (if it works for your schedule) to ensure they’re ready to enjoy when you want them.
Pumpkin Bars with Shortbread Crust Variations
Don’t have evaporated milk? Use cream or half-and-half instead. If needed, you can replace the 12 ounces of the evaporated milk with 1 + ½ cups of cream, half-and-half, or a combination of the two.
Make them gluten free by using a gluten free one-for-one baking flour instead of the all-purpose flour.
How to Store Pumpkin Shortbread Bars
Store your bars in an airtight container or covered (with tinfoil or plastic wrap) in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Pie Bars?
Yes! Pumpkin Pie Bars freeze beautifully, and can be frozen for up to 1 month. Be sure to completely cool your baked bars before wrapping in plastic wrap, and then adding a layer of tinfoil on top for added protection. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight (looking to thaw at least 8 hours).
Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe FAQs
How long does it take to cool the pumpkin pie bars before placing them in the refrigerator? It will take 1-2 hours for your bars to cool down enough to place in the fridge. They should be cool to the touch (aka, you’re not burning your fingers when you touch them / the pan).
When should I cut the pumpkin pie bars? You want to make sure they bars are completely set before slicing. This will take a minimum of 2 hours. 1 hour of cooling to room temperature, and then at least 1 hour of chilling in the fridge. I like to prep my bars the day before I need them so they can chill and set in the fridge overnight.
Love This Recipe? Try One of These Easy Pumpkin Recipes Next!
Pumpkin Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients
- 1 Cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ Cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ Cup COLD salted butter
Filling Ingredients
- 1 , 15oz can 100% pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 , 12oz can evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 + ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ Cup granulated sugar
- ½ Cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Optionally line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the shortbread crust by whisking together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, and salt) in a medium mixing bowl. Add the cubed and COLD butter to the crust and cut it in with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.
- Press the crust into the 9×13 pan and prebake. Be sure to press the mixture into an even layer, then bake for 15 -18 minutes until lightly golden.
- While the crust is baking, make the pumpkin pie filling. Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk to break up the yolk. Then add the evaporated milk and pumpkin. Whisk to combine. Add in both sugars and the spices and whisk to combine.
- Pour the filling into the hot crust and bake the pie bars for 40-50 minutes until the center is mostly set (a little jiggle is fine!).
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting. Begin by cooling them to room temperature (about 1 hour), and then transfer them to the fridge to cool completely (at least 1 more hour, minimum).
Seymour says
Love ‘em! Easy and delicious.
Meredith says
Glad you loved these too Seymour!
Marge says
These bars are sooooo good.