Pumpkin Pie Bars

These pumpkin pie bars start with a graham cracker crust and a layer of sweet cream cheese topped with classic pumpkin pie filling for the perfect fall dessert.

Move over pumpkin pie. Mom has a new favorite fall recipe that takes the old standard to a new level of yum!

I have a serious love for pumpkin pie, but I’d choose a graham cracker crust over traditional pie crust any day of the week. I think it tastes better and it’s definitely less picky!

So I played around and combined some of my favorite recipes until I came up with these easy pumpkin pie bars.

They are perfection.

The crust is substantial and perfectly sweet thanks to brown sugar.

The cheesecake mixture is rich and creamy, but not overwhelming. Even my husband liked it and he doesn’t like cream cheese very much!

The pumpkin layer is all the classic fall flavors you love. Like grandma used to make.

And it all comes together to form the most delicious fall dessert. You must try them! They would make the perfect Friendsgiving dessert or heck, throw the rules out the window and make them for Thanksgiving! I guarantee no one will care that they aren’t made in a pie pan when they wolf them down.

Helpful hints

Don’t forget to take the cream cheese out of the fridge several hours before you bake these bars, so it has time to come to room temperature. This will help prevent lumps in the cream cheese layer.
I’ve found that it’s not super necessary to line the pan with parchment paper with this dessert. The posts come out quite easily. But if you’re worried, feel free to use it!
You can use the individual spices I have listed in the recipe (cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger) or replace them with 1.5 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Either way, they will taste good! If you’re a big fan of cloves, you can add 1/8 teaspoon to the pumpkin pie filling for extra spice.
The recipes call for canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. What is the difference between them? One is just pumpkin puree. The other has flavorings.
Be sure to cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Do you have leftovers, that is. LOL.
I usually make these the day before I’m going to serve them, which is perfect for Thanksgiving because I usually make them on Wednesday with the rest of my pies.
The easiest way I’ve found to make graham cracker crumbs is in a kitchen machine. It was worth buying one just to make graham cracker crumbs and grate cheese. I literally only use it for those two things.

Video about pumpkin pie

These pumpkin pie bars start with a graham cracker crust and a layer of sweet cream cheese topped with classic pumpkin pie filling for the perfect fall dessert.

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 14 whole biscuits
1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
1/2 Cup melted butter
pinch salt

Cream filling

16 ounces cream cheese two bricks, softened
1 Cup sugar
2 big egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pumpkin filling

15 ounces canned pumpkin puree
1 can Sweet, condensed milk 14 grams
2 big egg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions for use

For the pumpkin filling:

Whisk together pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt until smooth. Pour over cream filling.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until the center of the pumpkin filling is set and no longer twists.
Cool completely, then refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before serving. Add a dollop of fresh whipped cream, if desired.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

Don’t forget to pin the photo below to save the recipe for later!