They make the perfect compliment for your next autumnal feast or gathering and will be loved by all family and friends. If you’re looking for another Fall treat, try my pumpkin bread, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, puff pastry apple tart, or apple butter snickerdoodles! The true holiday magic starts with a deliciously sweet, cookie-like crust that has more butter than traditional pie crust does. My pumpkin pie bars have a shortbread crust but it’s a little different than the traditional shortbread crust. It has a buttery soft crumb that will literally melt in your mouth! Over all, I think my favorite part of this recipe is that you don’t need a rolling pin for the crust. Simply dump the crust into the 8 x 8 pan, and press it into a single layer into the bottom of the pan. Bake it to a golden brown, and then pour in the creamy, pumpkin pie filling. You will love my “no-rolling-required” recipe so much that traditional pumpkin pie will become a thing of the past. When you are ready to add them to your Fall table, just top off my Pumpkin Pie Bars with a dollop of whipped cream!
Pumpkin: be sure to use 100% pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling Butter: my shortbread crust uses softened butter, so be sure to let it come to room temperature prior to baking. Cake flour: If you’ve made any of my cookies before, you know I love baking with cake flour. For this recipe in the shortbread crust, the cake flour makes the crust light, tender and buttery. All purpose flour or pastry flour are also fine to use. Eggs: large eggs. Evaporated milk: using evaporated milk, instead of cows milk, gives the pumpkin pie bars a more rich and creamy texture. It’s actually more convenient to use compared to cows milk since it has a longer shelf life. Spices: I love using cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves for the ultimate pumpkin-y pie flavor. Cornstarch: using a bit of cornstarch for the pumpkin pie filling helps to create a smooth thickness and set up the bars. It’s one of my favorite things to add to set your pumpkin pie apart from the rest!
