These Pumpkin Pie Bars have all the great flavors of the center of pumpkin pie, but with a sweet, crisp, slightly salty crust and the nutty goodness of pecans. With a mix of flavors and textures, these bars are a wonderful, forkless way to enjoy the classic in a new way.
Since 2014, I’ve written a weekly newspaper column about food and life for the Bangor Daily News. It’s called Maine Course (aptly named by my brother), and appears online every Tuesday.
This week’s column featured a recipe for Pumpkin Pie Bars with Pecans. These Pumpkin Pie Bars have all the great flavors of the center of pumpkin pie, but with a sweet, crisp, slightly salty crust and the nutty goodness of pecans. With a mix of flavors and textures, these bars are a wonderful, forkless way to enjoy the classic in a new way.
The recipe’s here but I urge you to read the column, regardless of whether you are interested in the delectable bars. This column is special to me. It’s about the power of playing like a girl — something I hope all the girls in my life do.
Pumpkin Pie Bars with Pecans
These Pumpkin Pie Bars have all the great flavors of the center of pumpkin pie, but with a sweet, crisp, slightly salty crust and the nutty goodness of pecans. With a mix of flavors and textures, these bars are a wonderful, forkless way to enjoy the classic in a new way.
Ingredients
Cookie/crumb layer
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into slices
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Pumpkin layer
- 1 15-oz can pumpkin purée
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 13 x 9-inch glass baking pan with butter. Set aside.
- Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and brown sugar for the cookie/crumb layers. Add the butter and cut in using two knives or a pastry blender.
- Reserve 1 cup of the cookie/crumb mixture and press the remaining cookie mixture into the prepared pan.
- Whisk together the pumpkin, egg, sugar, flour and pumpkin pie spice for the pumpkin layer. Spread evenly over the cookie layer.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the reserved 1 cup of the cookie mixture with pecans, and then sprinkle all over on top.
- Slide the bars into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.
- Let the bars cool and then slice into 1.5x1.5-inch bars.
MORE FROM MAINE COURSE
Did you know that I write a weekly newspaper column for The Bangor Daily News called Maine Course?
Kate
Tuesday 4th of October 2016
I love everything pumpkin!