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No Bake Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

No Bake Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe

I started making these no-bake pumpkin pie bars the year my oven was completely maxed out on Thanksgiving Day, and now I make them every single fall no matter how much oven space I actually have. There's something so satisfying about a creamy, spiced pumpkin filling set over a crunchy brown butter crust without ever touching the oven.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 9
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can 15 ounces pumpkin puree — grab plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, so you control the sweetness yourself
  • ¼ cup brown sugar — helps thicken the pumpkin as it simmers down into a jammy butter
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice divided — this is your flavor backbone, so use a fresh jar if yours has been sitting a while
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar — adds a little brightness that keeps the filling from tasting flat
  • ¾ teaspoon salt divided — balances the sweetness across both the crust and the filling
  • 1 stick unsalted butter — browning it here is what gives the crust its deep nutty flavor
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs — the classic no-bake base and you can pulse whole crackers in a food processor if needed
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened — let it sit out for real, cold cream cheese leaves lumps in your filling
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar — sweetens the cream cheese layer without adding graininess
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — rounds out the pumpkin spice with warmth
  • 4 ounces heavy whipping cream — whipped to stiff peaks this is what gives the filling its light, mousse-like texture

Method
 

  1. Add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, apple cider vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon salt to a saucepan and stir well. Simmer on low for about 25 minutes, stirring often, until it's reduced by half and thickened. Let it cool completely before using it in the filling.
  2. Melt your stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally as it foams. Watch closely for small brown flecks to form at the bottom, which means it's ready. Pull it off the heat right away and let it cool before combining with your crumbs.
  3. Stir the graham cracker crumbs with the remaining salt and pumpkin pie spice, then pour in the cooled browned butter. Mix until the texture resembles wet sand, then press it firmly into a parchment-lined 8x8 pan. Chill the crust in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
  4. Beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until completely smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold the cooled pumpkin butter into the cream cheese first, then gently fold in the whipped cream in two batches.
  5. Pour the finished filling over your chilled crust and smooth it into an even layer with a spatula. Refrigerate overnight so it sets completely, and for the cleanest slices, pop the pan in the freezer for about an hour right before cutting and serving.

Notes

  • I always let my cream cheese come fully to room temperature, or I end up with little lumps no amount of mixing can fix.
  • I brown my butter in a light-colored pan so I can actually watch the color change instead of guessing and burning it.
  • I fold the whipped cream in gently and in two additions, since dumping it all in at once deflates the texture I worked for.
  • I make my pumpkin butter a day ahead when I can, which saves me time and lets the flavor deepen overnight.
  • I always freeze the bars for the last hour before serving, because it makes slicing so much cleaner.