These homemade Pumpkin Streusel Bars have all of the spice and warmth of a classic pumpkin pie, but are so much easier to make with an uncomplicated press-in cookie crust. Simple pantry staples create a thick shortbread base, layered with a creamy pumpkin pie filling, and finished with a crisp streusel topping–pumpkin pie perfection in a bar!
No-Hassle Pumpkin Streusel Bars
I am turning my traditional pumpkin pie into the best Pumpkin Streusel Bars this season! Now that autumn is upon us and it’s time to bake my favorite flavors of fall, I am giving the classic recipe a revision; one that removes the soggy pie crust that’s always a struggle to make just right.
These homemade pumpkin pie bars have the same pumpkin spice flavor and creamy texture you love about pumpkin pie, but the base is an easy-to-make shortbread cookie crust topped with a creamy filling and sweet oat crumble streusel, then dressed up pretty with a sweet icing glaze.
These delicious bars have 3 decadent layers with textures and tastes that are creamy, crunchy, smooth, and perfectly pumpkin spiced in every festive forkful. Pass on the pie this year and start your season with these Pumpkin Streusel Bars–because holiday baking should not be a hassle!
Why We Love This Pumpkin Bars Recipe
- Easy to make with simple ingredients found in your kitchen.
- Creamy, crunchy, smooth, and perfectly pumpkin spiced in every bite!
- A fun and festive alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.
- Delicious served either chilled or at room temperature.
- Perfect make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving or any fall gathering.
Ingredients / Shopping List
- All-purpose flour
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar, packed
- Can pumpkin pie mix
- Eggs
- Evaporated milk: Make sure to use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk! The cans look similar – evaporated milk is a thinner, pourable consistency.
- Rolled oats
- Powdered sugar (for the optional glaze)
- Whole milk (for the optional glaze)
- Vanilla extract (for the optional glaze)
Substitutions and Additions
- Change the Crust: You can use a graham cracker crust or a ginger snap crust for another delicious flavor combination.
- Top It: A topping of whipped cream, ice cream, or caramel sauce make this delicious dessert even more decadent!
- More Fall Flavors: Feel free to substitute the pumpkin pie spice with cinnamon, ginger and cloves for a different flavor of fall.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- 9×13 baking dish
- Parchment paper or foil
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring tools
- Pastry cutter (optional)
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How to Make Pumpkin Streusel Bars
These homemade Pumpkin Streusel Bars have all of the spice and warmth of a classic pumpkin pie, but are so much easier to make with an uncomplicated press-in cookie crust. Simple pantry staples create a thick shortbread base, layered with a creamy pumpkin pie filling, and finished with a crisp streusel topping.
- Mix the flour, pumpkin spice, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
- Press crust into the bottom of the baking dish and bake at 350° Farenheit for 20 minutes.
PRO-TIP: Line your pan with parchment paper or foil so that there’s an overhang around the edges. Once the bars are baked and cooled, you can easily lift them out of the pan for easier slicing. - Whisk together the pumpkin pie mix, eggs, and evaporated milk until smooth.
- Pour filling over the crust once it has finished baking.
- Mix brown sugar, flour, oats, pumpkin spice, and salt together.
Add the butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter.
Pro Tip: You can use your fingers if you don’t have a pastry cutter. The mixture should resemble wet sand. - Sprinkle the streusel over the pumpkin filling.
- Bake for at 350° Fahrenheit for 60-70 minutes until the crust is lightly golden brown.
- Cool on wire rack and then place in the refrigerator to set. Cut into bars.
Pro Tip: These bars will set best in the fridge overnight but need at least 4 hours.
- To make the glaze (optional), whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together and drizzle over the cut bars.
- Allow bars to sit for 10 minutes, serve and enjoy!
Tips
- The bars will need to cool fully to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving for the filling to set. This makes it a great dessert to make the day before a dinner party.
- Pumpkin pie bars can be served cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed. Personally, I prefer to serve them cold or room temperature.
- The icing will dry mostly hard, so they can be stacked for easy portability.
Storage Tips
- To Store: You can store these bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Bake the bars, cool to room temperature, and store in a freezer-safe container or bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
I love to use evaporated milk in this recipe for a few reasons. First, evaporated milk is thicker than normal milk and has the flavor of cream without adding all the fat and calories that heavy cream would add. Also, evaporated milk has 60% of the water content removed; pumpkin is already 90% water! So the less water we can add to our bars, the less time we have to cook it, and the better the final texture.
Yes, you can absolutely make them in advance! These bars are best when they have had some time in the refrigerator, so I would plan to make them ahead of time. Make them up to 3 days in advance, covering them tightly and refrigerating.
Start checking around 60 minutes of baking time, and using an oven mitt, gently give the pan a little wiggle. The bars should jiggle a little in the center, but not be wet and super jiggly all over. Remember not to cut the bars right away–pumpkin streusel bars need time to set, which happens during the cooling and refrigerating process.
Other Easy Fall Recipes
- Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies
- Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
- Pumpkin Dog Treats
- No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
- Caramel Apple Bars
- Crockpot Applesauce
- Pumpkin Hand Pies
- Pumpkin Pudding
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Streusel Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
For the filling:
- 30 ounce can pumpkin pie mix
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ⅔ cup evaporated milk
For the topping:
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup rolled oats
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted cold butter grated or small diced
Optional glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp whole milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 with parchment paper or foil sprayed with cooking spray, set aside. In a medium-sized bowl stir together the flour, pumpkin spice, and salt until combined.
- In a large bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth, 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and mix it in until just combined with no dry patches. Press this into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes.
- While the crust is baking make the filling. In a large bowl whisk together the pumpkin mix, eggs, and evaporated milk until smooth. Pour this over the crust.
- In a large bowl stir together the brown sugar, flour, oats, pumpkin spice, and salt. Add the butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter or use your finger to combine the mixture to resemble wet sand.
- Sprinkle the streusel over the pumpkin filling. Bake for 60-70 minutes until the crust is lightly golden brown. Place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set, even best overnight. Cut into bars.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the bars, let sit for 10 minutes and serve.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: You can store these bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Bake the bars, cool to room temperature, and store in a freezer-safe container or bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- The bars will need to cool fully to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving for the filling to set. This makes it a great dessert to make the day before a dinner party.
- Make sure to use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk! The cans look similar – evaporated milk is a thinner, pourable consistency.
- Line your pan with parchment paper so that there’s an overhang around the edges. Once the bars are baked and cooled, you can easily lift them out of the pan for easier slicing.
- Pumpkin pie bars can be served cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed. Personally, I prefer to serve them cold or room temperature.
- The icing will dry mostly hard, so they can be stacked for easy portability.
