When the leaves start to change and the days become shorter, that can only mean one thing: it’s time for pumpkin. And while there are 101 ways to serve up a pumpkin treat (trust us, we’ve probably tried them all), we are especially fond of these sweet and sticky dessert bars. They have crunch, they have just the right touch of sweetness, and best of all, they have all the pumpkin flavor you could want.
These simple bars start with a graham cracker crumb crust that’s topped with a pumpkin filling that’s very reminiscent of pumpkin pie. It has that soft and custardy pumpkin flavor that we look forward to all year long. The topping here is where the ‘sticky’ part of the name comes in. It’s a streusel topping, more or less. Sugar and cinnamon are mixed with flour and butter and then crumbled over the top and as the bars bake, it comes together as one sweet and irresistibly sticky sauce. We’ve added some walnuts into that streusel because we love both the nuttiness and the crunch that they provide. Pecans would also be a great option!
We’re pretty smitten with the pumpkin, walnut, and graham cracker combo that these autumnal bars have going on. The pumpkin pie spice is noticeable, but not overpowering and they’re indulgent but not cloying. What we’re saying is, they ring in the pumpkin spice season in the best kind of way.
Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 12 graham crackers, crushed
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- For the filling:
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- For the streusel:
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add graham cracker crumbs and melted butter to a 9x13-inch pan and mix together well. Press crust into the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
- Add the eggs and sugar to a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until combined. Add the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until well combined. Pour filling over graham cracker crust.
- In a clean bowl, mix together the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter, and then mix in the cinnamon and walnuts. Sprinkle evenly over pumpkin filling in pan.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Adapted from What's Cooking Love.