Pumpkin Pecan Pie Bars

There is no need to choose between a pumpkin pie or a pecan pie, these Pumpkin Pecan Pie Bars combine those two into one delicious dessert. A buttery shortbread crust, with a pumpkin pie filling and topped with crunchy pecan streusel topping with brown sugar, this is decadent in every bite.

These pumpkin pecan bars are perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall entertaining, when you want a second dessert that is not pie. It is the perfect fall dessert.

Why you will love this pumpkin pie bars recipe

• It is perfect for a crowd, you can cut them up ahead and keep, so all you have to do is plate and serve them.
• It takes only about 10 mins to put together, and then once you put it in the oven, you just have to wait for it to be done.
• There is only one round of baking here. The pie crust holds up beautifully by itself, so you don't have to pre-bake it before adding the pumpkin filling.
• The pie crust and the pecan topping both have brown sugar in them, so it adds a dense caramel flavor to the pumpkin bars , making it taste divine.

Ingredients

The ingredients used in these pumpkin pecan bars are simple pantry ingredients, so you won't have to do a shopping trip just to buy them. A can of pumpkin puree is all you need that is extra but if you are like me, you would stock up on a few as the fall season starts.

For the oatmeal shortbread layer

• All Purpose Flour - I use kamut flour these days in place of all purpose flour as a more wholesome option but you don't have to go hunting for that, regular all purpose flour will do.
• Brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar, both will work for this recipe. Just use what you have on hand.
• Oatmeal - I love adding old-fashioned oatmeal to the crust, as it gives it more of a substance than with just the flour. If you need to skip this and use only flour, replace with the exact quantity of flour.
• Butter - unsalted butter is used in this recipe. You can have it softened at room temperature or you can use it right from the refrigerator. We are going to warm this butter and then pour it onto the rest of the ingredients.
• Cinnamon - using ground cinnamon in the crust is optional but it does add an extra layer of flavor. So, I highly recommend that you do.

For the pumpkin filling

• Pumpkin puree - use your favorite brand of canned pumpkin puree for this. If you are into making fresh pumpkin puree in fall, then feel free to use that instead.
• Condensed milk - use your favorite brand of sweetened condensed milk
• Eggs - 2 large eggs are needed for this pumpkin custard recipe. They make sure the custard solidifies upon baking.

For the pecan streusel topping

• Reserved shortbread crust mix.
• Pecans - I like to chop the pecans into small pieces as the pie is gonna be cut into bars and we want enough pecans in each bar.

Method

Making these delicious pumpkin bars is one of the easiest things to do. All you have to do is layer up all the components and wait for the oven to do its magic.

Prepare the crust

Before you start, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Cut the parchment paper to be about 3 inches wider on each side of the pan. Cut slits on all corners, as long as the height of the pan, so the parchment paper covers the bottom of the pan, while also leaving overhangs on all sides to easily remove the dessert from the pan.

In a small bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, ground cinnamon and butter. It will be a crumbly mix that will hold together when you apply pressure. 

Reserve about 1⁄2 cup of this mixture and add the rest to the prepared baking dish. Spread it around and press down lightly to make sure it forms a nice single layer of crust. 

We do not blind bake the crust in this recipe.

Pumpkin layer

This is the most decadent part of this delicious dessert. In a large bowl combine pumpkin puree, condensed milk, eggs and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well using a whisk. You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer and mix at medium speed, but a whisk is just as easy. Whisk it till it is just about all incorporated together. 

Pour this over the shortbread crust in the baking pan. Place in the oven for about 30 mins.

For the pecan topping

Use the reserved shortbread crust mix for this. Add chopped pecans to this mix and sprinkle over the pumpkin custard layer.

In this recipe, we bake the pie with the pumpkin custard for some time, till it gets a chance to thicken a little. We then pull out the baking pan, add the pecan streusel topping to this and then put it back in the oven to finish baking. This way, the streusel topping remains on top and does not sink to the bottom of the pie.

You will know it is ready when it still has a jiggle to it when you shake the pan but is firm to look at. Do a toothpick test to make sure it comes out clean.

Once done, leave the pan on a wire rack to cool down a little. Once warm, cut into square slices.

Serving Suggestions

The pecan pumpkin pie bars can be served warm as is or can be served with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Other pumpkin recipes you may love

• Homemade Pumpkin Buttermilk Waffles
• Spicy Creamy Pumpkin Linguine
• Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding with Pecan Crumble
• Pumpkin Hummus