Pumpkin Bars

The perfect fall treat for a party! A delicious oat pecan shortbread crust is filled with a creamy pumpkin filling, then topped with a crumble and butterscotch chips.

I first made these pumpkin pie bars back in 2012. They immediately became a fall favorite. And seven years later they still are! The beauty of these is they are simple to make and serve a crowd, perfect for your Halloween party or Friendsgiving!

A simple oat shortbread is made with pecans for an extra crunch and utilized as both the crust and the crumble topping. Combining cream cheese and pumpkin creates a delicious creamy pumpkin filling and a sprinkling of butterscotch chips is a nice sweet flavor, perfect combined with pumpkin.

What are the ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour / Plain Flour 
• Granulated Sugar 
• Brown Sugar
• Salted Butter, cold and cubed
• Quick- Cooking Oats*
• Pecans
• Cream Cheese softened to room temperature 
• Large Eggs, at room temperature
• Pure Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• Pumpkin Pie Spice- you can make your own pumpkin pie spice by mixing 1 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon, ½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg, ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger, and ½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves together.
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Butterscotch Chips

How do you make pumpkin bars

Preheat your oven to 350F/180C. Line a 9 X 13 inch pan with foil extending over the edges and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Lining the pan with foil will make it easier to pull the bars out of the pan.

In a large bowl combine the flour and both sugars.

Add the cubes of cold butter.

With a pastry blender or two knives mix in the cold butter until coarse crumbs form.

You want thick clumps, but the butter evenly distributed.

Stir in the oats and chopped pecans.

Set aside 1 cup of the oat mixture, this will be the crumble topping.

Press the rest of the oat shortbread mixture into the pan and bake for 15 minutes. 

While the crust is baking make the filling. 

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. If your cream cheese is not softened to room temperature you will end up with clumps, so it is imperative it is softened properly.

When cream cheese is light and fluffy add the granulated sugar and vanilla extract beat until fully combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.

Add the eggs, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice.

Mix until fully combined and smooth, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure it is all evenly combined.

Pour pumpkin cream over the warm crust. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture and butterscotch chips on top.

Bake the bars for 23-26 minutes, until the filling is completely set.

Let pan cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then chill in the fridge for two hours before slicing. 

Can you make pumpkin bars ahead of time

Yes, since the bars need to chill in the fridge for a couple of hours they are perfect to make the day before you want to serve them.

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Pumpkin Bars

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The perfect fall treat for a party! A delicious oat pecan shortbread crust is filled with a creamy pumpkin filling, then topped with a crumble and butterscotch chips.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Yield: 12 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Crust 

• 167 grams (1 ⅓ Cup) All-Purpose Flour / Plain Flour
• 50 grams (¼ Cup) Granulated Sugar
• 50 grams (¼ Cup) Brown Sugar
• 6oz (¾ Cup) Salted Butter, cold and cubed
• 100 grams (1 Cup) Quick- Cooking Oats*
• 63 grams (½ Cup) Pecans

Filling

• 8oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temerature
• 100 grams (½ Cup) Granulated Sugar
• 3 Large Eggs, at room temperature
• 15oz Pure Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice**
• 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
• 75 grams (½ Cup) Butterscotch Chips

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line a 9 X 13 inch pan with foil extending over the edges and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, granulted sugar, and brown sugar. With a pastry blender or two knives mix in the cold butter until coarse crumbs form. Stir in the oats and chopped pecans.
3. Set aside 1 cup of oat mixture. Press the rest of the oat shortbread mixture into the pan and bake for 15 minutes. 
4. While the crust is baking make the filling. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachement or a large bowl with a hand held mixer beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. 
5. Add the granulated sugar and vanilal extract, beat until fully combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until fully combined and smooth, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure it is all evenly combined. Pour over warm crust. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture and butterscotch chips on top.
6. Bake for 23-26 minutes, until the filling is completely set. Let pan cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then chill in the fridge for two hours before slicing. 

Equipment

9X13 Pan

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OXO Kitchen Scale

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Notes

• Recipe adapted from Joy The Baker
• *You can use Rolled Oats I just belnd them for 20 seconds to break them up a bit
• **You can subsitute 1 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon, ½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg, ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger, and ½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves

• Author: Elizabeth Waterson
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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