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    Home » Recipes » Brownies and Dessert Bars

    Published: Oct 21, 2014 · Modified: Feb 5, 2020 by alexandra · This post may contain affiliate links

    Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars

    Jump to Recipe

    These crumb bars are for all of you out there who don't like pie crust -- to which I say, you're craaaazzzzy, but we can still be friends. :)

    Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars - pie crust gets swapped out for a moist, cake base and a irresistible crumble topping in this easy recipe. this recipe

    Basically, imagine taking a cinnamon-spiced, brown sugar-infused whole wheat dough and a rich, nutty crumble topping smattered with graham cracker crumbs and dotted with pecan bits, and then adding a pumpkin pie filling to the center. It bakes up into a base that's a little cake-like at room temperature and a bit more cookie-like when chilled, layered with that creamy, spiced pumpkin filling and topped off with so many crumbles of sweet, nutty goodness. It's heaven in food form.

    Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars - pie crust gets swapped out for a moist, cake base and a irresistible crumble topping in this easy recipe.

    It's getting to the point where it's actually starting to feel a little like fall around here - cool, cloudy mornings and a tiny bit of sweatshirt weather - and all the fall spices that get ignored in my kitchen the rest of the year are starting to make an appearance. There have been LOTS of gingerbread man cookies (so excited to share that recipe!) and wayyy to many batches of these pumpkin pie bars, which, in reality, can never actually be considered a problem. ;) This is one of those recipes that makes your whole house smell like cozy fall perfection as the bars bake, and I think that alone has made fall seem so much more real than it did a few weeks ago.  When you're all comfy inside with a cool breeze blowing in through the windows and smells of cinnamon + ginger + nutmeg wafting through the room, it's hard not to feel a little fall-lovin'.

    Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars - pie crust gets swapped out for a moist, cake base and a irresistible crumble topping in this easy recipe.

    I've definitely been calling these bars breakfast since batch #1 (hey - they are whole wheat after all), but they'd also be perfect for a late afternoon treat or dessert or just whenever crumb bars call to you during the day. And with that gorgeous crumble topping, they may even beat out pumpkin pie. You can always add a dollop of fresh whipped cream and totally call it a new version of a classic - because we all know pumpkin pie WITH a crumb topping must be where it's at.

    Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars - pie crust gets swapped out for a moist, cake base and a irresistible crumble topping in this easy recipe.

     

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    Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars

    Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars - pie crust gets swapped out for a moist, cake base and a irresistible crumble topping in this easy recipe.
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Swap out pie crust for a moist, cakey base and crumble topping in these easy Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars.

    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: one 9" x 13" pan 1x

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Pumpkin Pie Filling

    • 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) canned pumpkin purée
    • 2 ⅜ ounces (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
    • 2 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon all spice
    • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ⅛ teaspoon ginger
    • 2 eggs

    Crumb Bars

    • 10 ⅝ ounces (2 ½ cups, spoon and level) whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 5 ounces (⅔ cup, packed) brown sugar
    • 6 ounces (¾ cup) coconut oil, melted, divided
    • 1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk
    • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 3 ½ ounces (1 cup) graham cracker crumbs
    • 2 ounces (½ cup) pecans, chopped

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9" x 13" baking pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray.

    Pumpkin Pie Filling

    1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or using a bowl and handheld electric mixer), beat the pumpkin, sugar, cream cheese, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, and ginger together on medium-high speed until smooth.
    2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating each in on medium-high until well-incorporated, and wiping down the bowl and beater as needed. Set aside.

    Crumb Bars

    1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
    2. In a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar and 4 ounces (½ cup) coconut oil together until well-combined. Beat in the whole egg and yolk one at a time, until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract.
    3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold in just until fully incorporated.
    4. Set aside about 7 ½ ounces (¾ cup) of dough and press the remaining into the bottom of the prepared pan in a flat, compact layer (using your fingertips and/or a wide/flat spatula). Spread the pumpkin pie filling over this layer and shake the pan gently to even it out.
    5. Add the graham cracker crumbs and pecans to the reserved dough and rub in with hands until the entire mixture is evenly crumbly. Mix in the remaining 2 ounces (¼ cup) coconut oil - the mixture will still be crumbly but should start to clump. Use your hands to continue clumping the dough together into large crumbles. Sprinkle crumbles evenly over top of bars to cover.
    6. Bake bars in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until the top is turning golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before using foil to lift from pan and slice.
    7. Store crumb bars in an airtight container. They can be kept for a few days at room temperature (for a softer, lighter bar), or refrigerated for longer storage.

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    More Brownie and dessert bar recipes

    • Easy Fudgy Oreo Brownies
    • Fudgy Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
    • Strawberry Oatmeal Crumb Bars (gluten-free option, dairy-free)
    • Peppermint Brownies {gluten-free}

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    1. Kara says

      October 24, 2014 at 10:23 am

      Hi I love the sound of these bars! I'm all about that crumb topping.
      I have a question though. When preparing the feeling, it says to then add the eggs one at a time, but I don't see any eggs mentioned in the ingredient list for the filling.
      How many are we supposed to add?

      Thanks!
      -Kara

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        October 24, 2014 at 11:18 am

        I'm sorry; I complete forgot to list that in the ingredients somehow! The filling uses 2 eggs and the recipe is fixed now. :)

        Reply
    2. Nora (A Clean Bake) says

      October 22, 2014 at 11:54 am

      While I am not the biggest fan of pumpkin pie, I like the idea of it, and LOVE bar cookies! This is such a creative idea!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        October 23, 2014 at 6:40 pm

        Thanks Nora! I'm definitely a huge bar cookie lover too. ;)

        Reply
    3. Christina @ Whip This Up says

      October 22, 2014 at 9:21 am

      I'm one of those crazies who doesn't care for pie crust. Crumb top AND bottom? Glorious.

      Reply
    4. Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says

      October 21, 2014 at 6:00 pm

      I love pumpkin pie and anything (in any form) that resembles it. These are perfect!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        October 21, 2014 at 6:38 pm

        Thanks Jennifer! Cannot wait to go look at those bread bites you just posted!

        Reply

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    Hey There! Thanks for stopping by! Here's what you can expect to find on Bright-Eyed Baker: lots of baked goods and other sweets made from scratch (many of which are gluten-free), plus the occasional savory recipe or mixed drink. My goal is to show you that from-scratch baking - gluten-free or not! - doesn't have to be intimidating. Learn more about me.

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