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Pumpkin Pie Bars

Pumpkin pie bars with a buttery graham cracker crust and a silky, warmly spiced pumpkin filling baked until the center gently jiggles. No pie dough to roll—just press, bake, fill, chill, and slice into neat squares for easy make-ahead dessert tables.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
chill 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
Granulated sugar
  • 0.3333 cup granulated sugar
Unsalted butter
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
Pumpkin puree
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
Sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
Eggs
  • 2 eggs large
Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Ground ginger
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
Ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Whipped cream
  • 1 whipped cream for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper. Set it aside so it’s ready for pressing the crust.
  2. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted unsalted butter, then press firmly into the bottom of the pan. Press with steady pressure to create an even, compact crust layer.
  3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350 F (175 C). Look for the edges to look slightly set and lightly fragrant.
Fill and bake
  1. Whisk the pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stop when the mixture looks glossy with no streaks.
  2. Pour the filling over the warm crust and smooth the top. Gently tap the pan to help level the surface.
  3. Bake at 350 F (175 C) for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are set and the center has only a slight jiggle. Don’t overbake—the center should wobble just a bit when nudged.
Cool, chill, and serve
  1. Cool the bars to room temperature. Letting them cool helps prevent condensation before chilling.
  2. Chill for at least 2 hours to firm up the filling. For clean slices, keep them cold until ready to cut.
  3. Lift out with the parchment, cut into bars, and top with whipped cream. Slice with a sharp motion for neat edges and serve chilled.

Notes

Pro tip: for the cleanest squares, cool fully at room temperature before chilling, then cut straight from the fridge with a sharp knife. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze bars in a sealed container for up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge overnight). Dietary swap: use lactose-free sweetened condensed milk and lactose-free butter for a lactose-free version without changing the bake time.