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Easy Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bars: Best Fall Dessert

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These Easy Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bars combine a buttery shortbread crust, silky pumpkin custard, and a crunchy maple-pecan streusel for the perfect fall dessert. They are simpler than pie, more impressive than plain bars, and come together in a fraction of the time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 can (15 oz or 425g) pumpkin purée
  • ¾ cup (180ml) pure maple syrup
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (120g) pecans, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ teaspoon 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, granulated sugar, and salt. Cut in cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces. Press firmly into prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges are just golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Prepare the pumpkin filling: In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée and maple syrup until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking gently. Add heavy cream and vanilla, whisk until combined. Sprinkle pumpkin pie spice and salt over top, whisk again until smooth and glossy. Do not over-whisk.
  4. Assemble: Pour pumpkin filling over pre-baked crust and spread evenly. Bake for 25 minutes at 350°F.
  5. Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine chopped pecans, maple syrup, melted butter, and salt. Stir until pecans are coated.
  6. After 25 minutes, remove pan from oven. Sprinkle maple pecan mixture evenly over the filling. Return to oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until edges are puffed, center barely jiggles, and pecans are glossy and caramelized.
  7. Cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours, until fully chilled.
  8. Use parchment overhang to lift slab onto a cutting board. Slice into 16 squares with a sharp knife, wiping clean between cuts.

Notes

Do not skip the chill time—bars need to be fully cold to slice cleanly. Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Toast pecans before using for deeper flavor. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use vegan butter and full-fat coconut cream. Bars can be made a day ahead and improve after sitting overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition

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

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