Pumpkin Pie Bars

If you have a few cans of pumpkin in the pantry and need a simple dessert that travels well and feeds a crowd, these pumpkin pie bars are a reliable choice. The recipe produces a buttery shortbread-style crust, a smooth pumpkin and cream cheese filling, and a cinnamon-brown-sugar topping with optional chopped hazelnuts. The instructions below cover the standard recipe sized for a 9 x 13-inch pan, followed by an easy-to-use version scaled up five times for feeding larger groups.

Pumpkin Pie Bars (9 x 13 pan)

Crust

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Combine the butter, sugar, and flour until the mixture is evenly blended and holds together when pressed. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan to form the crust.

Filling

1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
15 ounces canned pumpkin (use plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
2 cups (16 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. Blend until the filling is completely smooth and free of lumps. Spread the filling evenly over the prepared crust.

Topping

2 cups chopped hazelnuts (optional — omit for nut-free requirements)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine the topping ingredients with your fingers or a pastry cutter until evenly combined and crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the pumpkin-cream cheese layer.

Baking and Serving

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake the assembled pan for about 1 hour, or until the topping is set and the filling is no longer jiggly in the center.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before slicing. Cooling fully helps the filling firm up and makes cleaner slices.
Serve as-is or with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream for a pleasant contrast of warm spice and cold creaminess.

Scaled Recipe: 5x (Large Groups)

If you are preparing these bars for a big gathering, here are the measurements for five times the original recipe. This quantity filled two standard hotel steam pans and one 9 x 13 pan in my experience.

Crust (5×)

2.5 cups butter
2 cups granulated sugar
8.5 cups all-purpose flour

Filling (5×)

5 cups granulated sugar (note: I increased to 6 cups for extra sweetness)
10 large eggs (or about 2 cups liquid eggs)
75 ounces canned pumpkin
80 ounces cream cheese (softened)
5 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping (5×)

10 tablespoons butter
2.5 cups packed brown sugar
10 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Optional: 10 cups chopped hazelnuts (omit if you need a nut-free option)

Notes for large batches: When scaling up, take extra care to fully soften the cream cheese before attempting to blend it into the filling. If you try to soften cream cheese in the microwave, it can still be uneven; for best results, let the blocks sit at room temperature overnight or for several hours. Use a sturdy mixer and scrape the bowl frequently to ensure a smooth, lump-free filling.

Tips and Variations

Allergy considerations: Omit the hazelnuts or substitute toasted oats or a seed mix for a nut-free crunch.
Sweetness: The filling can be adjusted to taste—add a little more sugar if you prefer a sweeter dessert.
Serving suggestion: These bars are enjoyable at room temperature but are also excellent served the same day with a small scoop of french vanilla ice cream.
Storage: Once cooled, store bars covered in the refrigerator for up to several days.

These pumpkin pie bars combine the familiar flavors of pumpkin pie with a creamy, slightly tangy cream cheese layer and a buttery crumb topping. They are practical to make, easy to scale, and well-suited to potlucks or large events.

Day 26