Pumpkin Bars with Gingersnap Crust

a stack of pumpkin pie bars with whipped cream

Pumpkin Bars with Gingersnap Crust

5 from 4 votes

Creamy pumpkin pie filling meets a crunchy, spiced cookie crust in these easy and delicious pumpkin bars with gingersnap crust. They're easier than pie and perfect for feeding a crowd!

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Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Cool Time2

Total Time3 5

Servings: bars

Author: Molly Thompson

INGREDIENTS

Gingersnap Crust

10-12 ounces Gingersnap cookies (about 2 cups crushed)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour gluten-free if needed
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree
1 cup light brown sugar packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice storebought or homemade
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/3 cups half and half heavy cream works too
3 eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
To serve: Chopped pecans, homemade whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and/or vanilla ice cream for serving

Standard - Metric

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Make crust (5 min): Add the gingersnaps to the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse in 2-3 second increments to crush into fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar, flour, and butter.
10-12 ounces Gingersnap cookies, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsalted butter
Bake the crust (12 min): Press the gingersnap mixture firmly into the prepared pan using a rubber spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake for 12 minutes.
Mix the filling (5 min): While the crust bakes, add all of the pumpkin filling ingredients to a large bowl and whisk well until combined and smooth.
1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1 1/3 cups half and half, 3 eggs
Bake the pumpkin bars (55 min): Pour the pumpkin filling over the partially baked crust. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the edges and middle are set and no longer jiggles when you nudge it. Tent the edges with foil as needed.
Cool and slice (2 hrs): Allow the bars to cool completely then remove them from the pan and cut them into 16 squares using a sharp hot knife. Chill in the fridge to speed up the cooling process
To serve: Chopped pecans, homemade whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and/or vanilla ice cream for serving

Notes

Note 1. Gingersnaps. Use your favorite brand of gingersnap cookies. We used approximately 10 ounces of gingersnaps to yield 2 cups of crushed gingersnaps. You can swap this for 2 cups of crushed graham crackers.

Note 2. Homemade pumpkin pie spice: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves and ground allspice.

Note 3. Whipped Cream. Add 1 cup of heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to a large bowl with an electric mixer or to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whip on high speed for 4-5 minutes, until light and fluffy and soft to stiff peaks form.

Note 4. Cutting pumpkin bars. Run a large (7-8 inch) sharp chef's knife under hot water and dry with a towel. Make one smooth cut into the bars, pushing down firmly to cut through the crust. Run the knife under hot water and dry it off between each cut for best results.

Note 5. Metal baking pan. Like in our fudgy paleo brownies, we recommend using a metal pan for best results. Glass or ceramic pans take longer to heat up and can prevent the center from cooking before the outsides are over-baked. This is my favorite pan to use for brownies and bars.

Shortbread crust: Swap the gingersnap ingredients for the shortbread crust in these gluten-free lemon bars.

Gluten-free pumpkin pie bars: Try a gluten-free gingersnap, gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, or a gluten-free shortbread crust.

Nutrition

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