With a gamut of spices and fresh pumpkin purée, these easy Pumpkin Pie Shortbread Bars come together in under twenty minutes and bake in just under an hour. Your pie craving just got a whole lot easier to execute.
I ADORE FALL. 🍂 The cooling of the weather, the breaking out of sweaters + boots, and the beginning of the festive holiday season (AKA, the most wonderful time of the year!) all make for a truly wonderful transition of seasons. By the time September rolls around, I am very much done with summer (triple digits and smoky skies are not fun, and neither is staying indoors due to poor air quality). I love the clean cool air, the changing leaves, and of course, ALLLLL of the baked goods. These Pumpkin Pie Shortbread Bars are super easy, require only three bowls, and come together rather quickly. Read: pumpkin pie just got way easier and even more delicious.
What you’ll need to make these Pumpkin Pie Shortbread Bars:
All purpose flour
Dark brown sugar
Salt
Salted butter
Pure vanilla extract
Large eggs
Pumpkin Purée
Heavy cream
Ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
Ground cloves
The Crust
I’m a firm believer that if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. This is my classic shortbread crust that has appeared in a few other recipes of mine, most notably these Mini Tarts with Lemon Curd and Shortbread Crust. It’s perfectly buttery and not too sweet; the only real amendment was the swapping out of powdered sugar for dark brown sugar. This gave a bit more chewiness and flavor to the crust that perfectly complimented the pumpkin filling.
The Filling
This filling is chalked full of spices and flavor. The addition of heavy cream creates a truly magnificent bar with the resulting texture mimicking that of a perfectly baked pie. Organic pumpkin purée (I used Farmer’s Market Organic Pumpkin) lends its full flavor to these bars: you’ll use a whole can of it and it’s magically pumpkin-y delicious.
That Whipped Topping
I don’t know about you, but I cannot have pie without whipped cream. You can use either heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, the difference would be undetectable in this recipe. The only variation is a slightly higher fat content in heavy cream. The flavor is quite similar between the two. This easy homemade whip is simply heavy cream + powdered sugar. It’s sweetness is perfectly balanced by the pumpkin filling and the buttery nature of the crust. It is absolutely the cherry (… I mean the whipped cream) on top of a perfect pie bar.
Dietary Substitutions
I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either use and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest.
As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy:
Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour is a wonderful all-purpose sub, and it’s cup for cup, so use the same measurements as you would all-purpose flour.
Miyokos Butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio sub, same as the flour, so the recipe measurements will not change.
Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is a great option for both the pie filling and the whipped topping.
I hope you love these festive fall bars!
If you loved this recipe I’d be so grateful for you to leave a 5 star rating + review.
Tag @heathershomebakery on Instagram if you upload a pic too, because I want to see your creations. 😊
Lastly, post this recipe to any of your boards by tapping the Pinterest icon and clicking on your favorite photo. Save and enjoy!
XO,
Heather
OTHER POPULAR PUMPKIN RECIPES
- Pumpkin Crumble Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Streusel French Toast Bake
- Browned Butter Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Browned Butter Caramel Cake
Pumpkin Pie Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
FOR THE SHORTBREAD CRUST:
- 1 ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
- ⅓ Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed (light or golden would work as well)
- ¾ Cup Salted Butter, melted
- Pinch Of Salt
FOR THE PUMPKIN PIE FILLING:
- 1 15 Ounce Can Pumpkin Purée, unsweetened
- 3 Large Eggs
- ¾ Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed (light or golden would work as well)
- 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line an 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper and set-aside.
- To make the shortbread crust, combine the flour, dark brown sugar, salt, and melted butter in a medium size bowl. Mix all ingredients until dough forms. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Set aside.
- To make the filling, place pumpkin in a medium-size bowl. Add eggs, and whisk. Add heavy cream, and whisk again. Add dark brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Whisk until completely combined, about 20 seconds.
- Press shortbread crust into prepared pan, using the back end of a measuring cup to ensure it is flat and even. Pour filling on top of the crust. Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes, or until edges are golden and middle is set but slightly jiggly. Bars will completely set up as they cool.
- Place bars in the refrigerator to completely cool. Before serving, combine the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a medium sized bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. This is easiest with a standing or hand mixer, but can be achieved with a whisk if need be. Spread whipped cream over cooled bars and sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired. Cut into 16 squares and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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