Pumpkin pie bars take your favourite fall slice and transform it into an easy, yet elegant, three-layer dessert. These beautiful baked bars start with a buttery shortbread base, which is then topped with a creamy pumpkin pie filling before being covered with a generous nutty brown sugar crumble. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or a homemade pumpkin spice latte, and slide into fall.
ingredients
Shortbread Base
Pumpkin Pie Filling
Pecan-Hazelnut Topping
directions
Cool time: 1 hour
For the shortbread base, preheat oven to 300°F. Line the bottom and sides of 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. Add flour and mix on low speed until everything is combined. Press the mixture evenly into prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until dry to the touch. Reserve for second baking with filling. Increase oven temperature to 350°F.
For the pumpkin pie filling, in a blender or food processor or large bowl, combine all filling ingredients and blend until smooth. Evenly pour filling over the baked shortbread base and smooth top with a spatula. Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. Reserve for third baking with nut topping.
For the pecan hazelnut topping, in a medium bowl, combine nuts and brown sugar. Mix well. Sprinkle pecan hazelnut topping in an even layer over baked filling layer. Bake for a final time for 15 to 20 minutes, until pumpkin pie filling has set. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 1 hour at room temperature. Lift the parchment out of the pan using overhang, and transfer onto a cutting board. Cut into 15 to 18 bars or squares. Serve.
