Pumpkin Pie Bars

My pumpkin pie bars are a yummy cross between pumpkin pie and pumpkin cookies. A creamy, rich, pumpkiny cream cheese filling, sets on a delicious oatmeal cookie crust, and then gets streusel topping. OH!

And also a generous sprinkle of butterscotch chips to boot. All in a delightful, eat-out-of-hand treat! No fork required!

Pumpkin Pie Bars

I really love how quick and easy these pumpkin pie bars with oatmeal crust are to put together. A simple oatmeal cookie crust also doubles as the streusel topping. Then an easy one-bowl creamy filling gets baked right on top. For planning purposes, remember they need to cool completely before serving.

This makes a generous 9X13 inch baking dish. It’s great during the holidays, for church potlucks, tailgating, or just an afternoon cup of tea.

Try my pumpkin bundt cake and pumpkin oatmeal cookies.

Pumpkin Pie Bars Video Tutorial

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Ingredient Notes, Tips + Tricks

• Oats: The addition of oats gives this treat a wonderfully hearty base that transforms any ordinary fruit bar into pie bars. But be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick-cooking oats, which will break down much faster and not give you the structure you want.
• Bourbon: So these can be made without any alcohol if you don’t care to use them. Try apple cider instead. If you want to swap out a different flavor, try rum, brandy, or cognac; or 
• Spice: Was the store out of pumpkin pie spice? No worries! Cinnamon is the predominant flavoring in that spice mix, so feel free to use that as a substitute. Or you can always make your own spice arrangement with a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom!
• Cream Cheese: The cream cheese element adds a perfect cheesecake twist to these bars. But if you forgot to let your cream cheese soften (I do this all. the. time.), you can get the same effect by quickly microwaving your cream cheese.

How to Store and Make Ahead

• How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?  Store these pumpkin pie cookie bars in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Can You Freeze This? Yes! Store these pumpkin squares with walnuts in an airtight container in your freezer for up to six months. Thaw them by letting them sit in the fridge overnight.
• Make-Ahead: Baking my easy pumpkin bars ahead of time is a bit difficult since so much of the chemistry depends on the butter is at the perfect consistency and the cream cheese being just so. If you must make some of it ahead, you can blend together the ingredients in Step 3, and store it in an airtight container in your fridge for up to two days.

What’s the Difference Between Canned Pumpkin Vs. Pumpkin Pie Filling.

• Canned pumpkin is just what the name says. A simple canned pumpkin that has been cooked and pureed. Canned pumpkin pie filling is the same cooked and pureed canned pumpkin but it also includes spices and sweetener.

Can I substitute pumpkin pie filling for pumpkin puree?

• This recipe is written to use canned pumpkin. The recipe has the proper mix of spices and sweetener calculated into the filling so I would use pumpkin pie filling.

Step By Step How To Make Pumpkin Pie Bars

1. Mix flour, brown and white sugar in a medium bowl
2. Cut butter with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in oats and walnuts. Reserve 1 cup.
4. Press the remaining crumb mixture on the bottom of the pan. Bake.
5. Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, bourbon, canned pumpkin, and pumpkin spice with mixer until well blended.
6. Pour over crust.
7. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture.
8. Add the butterscotch or chocolate chips. Bake.

More Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin Crunch Cake
• Pumpkin Spice Cookies
• Pumpkin Scones
• Pumpkin Lasagna
• Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
• Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

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Pumpkin Pie Bars

Want all the yum of pumpkin pie without the hours of baking? My Pumpkin Pie Bars recipe brings you heaping helpings of those classic flavors in a cookie bar

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time55 mins

Servings: 16 pie bars

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar divided
• ▢ 1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
• ▢ 3/4 cup unsalted butter cold
• ▢ 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats uncooked
• ▢ 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin solid packed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 teaspoons bourbon
• ▢ 1 cup butterscotch chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13×9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; grease foil.
• Mix flour, 1/4 granulated sugar, and brown sugar (1/2 cup) in a medium bowl; cut in butter (3/4 cup) with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats (1 cup) and walnuts (1/2 cup). Reserve 1 cup oat mixture; press remaining onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min.
• Beat cream cheese (8 ounces), remaining sugar, eggs (3 large), vanilla (1 teaspoon), bourbon (2 teaspoons), canned pumpkin (15 ounces), and pumpkin pie spice (1 tablespoon) with mixer until well blended. Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture and a handful of butterscotch or chocolate chips (1 cup).
• Bake for 25 minutes or until the center sets; cool 10 min. Use foil to transfer dessert from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Blackberry Pie Bars
• 
  Cherry Custard Pie Bars
• 
  Coconut Cream Pie Bars
• 
  Lemon Bars

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Notes

1. Oats: The addition of oats gives this treat a wonderfully hearty base that transforms any ordinary fruit bar into pie bars. But be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick-cooking oats, which will break down much faster and not give you the structure you want.
2. Bourbon: So these can be made without any alcohol if you don't care to use them. Try apple cider instead. If you want to swap out a different flavor, try rum, brandy, or cognac; or 
3. Spice: Was the store out of pumpkin pie spice? No worries! Cinnamon is the predominant flavoring in that spice mix, so feel free to use that as a substitute. Or you can always make your own spice arrangement with a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom!
4. Cream Cheese: The cream cheese element adds a perfect cheesecake twist to these bars. But if you forgot to let your cream cheese soften (I do this all. the. time.), you can get the same effect by quickly microwaving your cream cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/16 of the recipe | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1.1mg

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© Gonna Want Seconds. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media/website/blog is strictly prohibited.

Source: Adapted From Kraft as seen on Joy The Baker

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