Pumpkin Pie Bars
Serves 16
20 mins prep
40 mins cook
0 mins total
These pumpkin pie bars have a brown butter shortbread crust, a creamy spiced pumpkin filling, and fluffy whipped cream! They’re much easier to make than pie and have the perfect 1:1 crust to filling ratio. The brown butter adds a toasty and cozy layer of flavor, pairing perfectly with the pumpkin filling. Sweetened condensed milk makes the pumpkin filling ultra creamy, rich, and smooth. And you can’t have pumpkin pie without whipped cream!
Brown Butter Crust
Pumpkin Pie Filling
Whipped Cream
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Brown Butter Crust
Line an 8” or 9” square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving handles on the outside to be able to lift out the bars after baking. Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C).
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Heat on stovetop on medium-low heat until it melts. Continue cooking it, stirring frequently while it foams and then when the foam subsides. Take it off the heat as soon as you see brown specks and pour into a heat-safe container or bowl to cool down and stop cooking. Make sure to add all of the brown bits in. Let cool to room temperature.
⅕ 1 unsalted butterIn a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the cooled brown butter, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix together until it thickens slightly.
⅕ 2 milk⅕ ½ granulated sugar⅕ 1 pure vanilla extract⅕ ¾ sea saltSift the flour right into the same bowl and fold to make a cookie dough.
⅕ 2 all purpose flourDump and spread the cookie dough into the lined pan, pressing the dough up to create a thin border all along the outside.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until the top and edges are golden brown. Work on the filling while it bakes.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
Add all of the ingredients into a large bowl. Whisk together to combine.
⅕ 2 large eggs⅕ 1 pumpkin purée⅕ 2 cornstarch⅕ ¼ sea salt⅕ 2 pumpkin pie spice⅕ ¾ sweetened condensed milk⅕ 1 pure vanilla extractAs soon as the crust has baked, pour the filling on top of the crust and bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is still a little wiggly.
Let cool completely. For extra firm bars - I recommend chilling them for a few hours.
Whipped Cream
Pro Tip: Pop your bowl and whisk attachment into the freezer 5 minutes before getting started for a very thick whipped cream. I recommend whipping the cream the day of serving.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine cold cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip together with a whisk attachment until thickened and holds its shape. Transfer into a piping bag with a star tip (I used a Wilton 1M).
⅕ ½ cold heavy whipping cream⅕ 2 granulated sugar⅕ ½ pure vanilla extractRemove the cooled pumpkin pie bars from the baking pan. Trim all of the edges with a sharp knife. Cut it into 9 or 16 square bars, making sure to wipe your knife between each slice for clean cuts.
Pipe stars and swirls of whipped cream on top of the bars, sprinkle with pumpkin spice, and serve! I recommend topping the bars off with whipping cream the day of serving because it will melt the longer it sits.
⅕ 1 pumpkin spice
