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Easy Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bars

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These Easy Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, a creamy pumpkin filling, and a crunchy maple pecan topping. They are the perfect fall dessert that tastes like Thanksgiving without the stress of making a full pie.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup pecan halves or pieces
  • ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides.
  2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ½ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cut in cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes until set but not brown. Set aside.
  3. Make the pumpkin filling: In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree and ¾ cup sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Pour in heavy cream and vanilla, whisk until combined. Add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and ¼ teaspoon salt, whisk until evenly distributed.
  4. Pour filling over warm crust and spread gently to edges. Bake for 25 minutes at 350°F until mostly set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
  5. While bars bake, make the topping: In a small bowl, stir together pecans, maple syrup, melted butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Let sit.
  6. After 25 minutes, remove bars from oven and spoon pecan mixture evenly over the top. Return to oven and bake for another 15-18 minutes until topping is bubbling and pecans are toasted, and filling is fully set.
  7. Cool bars completely in the pan on a wire rack (about 2 hours). Use parchment overhang to lift slab onto a cutting board. Slice into 9 or 16 bars, wiping knife clean between cuts.

Notes

Do not overmix the crust; leave some pea-sized butter pieces for flakiness. Use room temperature eggs and cream to avoid lumpy filling. Let bars cool completely before slicing to prevent oozing. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use cold vegan butter and full-fat coconut cream. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin bars, maple pecan, fall dessert, Thanksgiving dessert, easy pumpkin recipe, pumpkin pie bars

Find it online: https://cookyep.com/easy-maple-pecan-pumpkin-pie-bars-best-fall-dessert-2/