Best Pumpkin Pie Bars (Gluten free + Vegan)
Amazingly easy gluten free + vegan pumpkin pie bars are just like pumpkin pie but way easier! A shortbread crust and perfect pumpkin pie filling, this is a holiday favorite that everyone will love.
Take everything you love about pumpkin pie, the warm spices, the creamy filling, the flaky crust, and make it like 10 times easier, and you have these incredible pumpkin pie bars!
Free from: Wheat, gluten, dairy, casein, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mollusks, celery, sesame, mustard, lupin, sulfites, nightshades, tomatoes, and more
Optional free from: Corn
These easy pumpkin pie bars taste just like pumpkin pie, but honestly I like them even better than traditional pumpkin pie. It’s packed full of pumpkin flavor, and made in less time than a homemade pie crust. You don’t need any fancy equipment like a food processor, just a one mixing bowl and a good baking dish.
This recipe is sweet, full of warming pumpkin spices, is smooth to cut into, holds its shape without any support, and is a showstopper of a dessert every time!
Perfect for the Thanksgiving dessert table, Christmas parties, or anytime in the holiday season you want a delicious and cozy dessert.
Want more yummy desserts to share? Check out my Pumpkin Snack Cake (gluten free, nut free), Vegan Pumpkin Donuts, Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes, or my Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread (Starbucks copy recipe!).
Why You’ll Love these Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Super flavorful pumpkin filling with homemade pumpkin pie spices
- None of the mess of a traditional pie crust
- Perfect for parties
- Gluten free, Dairy free, Egg free, Nut free, and more!
Ingredients
Here is a quick rundown of the simple ingredients you’ll need to make these pumpkin pie bars. For the measurements, please see the recipe card below. For allergy substitutions, see the next section on how you can customize this for your unique needs!
- Pumpkin puree: Use a 100% pure pumpkin for this filling. This way the flavors will be just right and you can customize it even more to your liking.
- Flour: Use either all purpose flour or a good gluten free flour blend for this recipe.
- Leaveners + Egg Replacer: Baking soda and baking powder are used in the crust to keep it light and fluffy. Cornstarch is used in the filling as the egg replacer. If you can’t use cornstarch, see below for options.
- Dairy free Milk + Dairy free Butter: I typically reach for soy milk or oat milk for these recipes. My favorite dairy free butter are the Earth Balance buttery sticks.
- Sugars: Both white and brown sugar are in here for the flavors.
- Spices + Salt: A combination of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves makes for the most unbelievable flavor! A touch of salt rounds it all out. You can also use a homemade pumpkin pie spice blend!
- Vanilla: Adding vanilla to this deepens the flavors and just makes it sing.
Allergy Substitutions
If you are avoiding corn, make sure that your vanilla extract is corn free. My favorite is Singing Dog Vanilla, which is free from most allergens out there! Check out my shop page for more info.
You can replace the cornstarch with an equal amount of arrowroot powder or tapioca flour. I have found more success with arrowroot powder, but both work.
To make this gluten free, use a good gluten free all purpose flour blend. I always bake with King Arthur Measure for Measure. See the “How to Make Gluten Free” section below for more details!
Instructions
For the full instructions, complete with recipe measurements, please see the recipe card below.
So, the main reason I was inspired to make these pumpkin pie bars is that while I LOVE pumpkin pie, I don’t like working with fussy pie crust or waiting forever before I can dig into a slice. That’s why these bars are so easy to make. Seriously, you only need one bowl.
First, make the crust! In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar, and the melted vegan butter. Mix it together with a fork. The dough will be a bit crumbly, rather like a shortbread crust.
Press this dough into a lined baking dish and using your hands, press it into the pan.
Now, make the filling! In the same bowl, add the pumpkin, non-dairy milk, white and brown sugars, cornstarch, vanilla, and all the spices. Whisk it together until smooth. Pour the filling on top of the crist and smooth it over.
Pop it in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove it from the oven when done and let it rest in the baking tray for at least 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
How to know when pumpkin pie bars are done baking?
This is the tricky bit about baking with pumpkin: Knowing when it’s done! These pumpkin pie bars take about 30 minutes to bake, give or take a few minutes, but you’ll know it’s done when the edges of the filling are set and don’t wiggle.
The middle of the baking pan may wiggle a little bit and it might look a little “wet”. But if the edges are set, then it is done!
How to Make this Gluten Free
The pumpkin pie filling part is naturally gluten free so no changes are needed there.
The crust has a few extra steps to ensure you get the best results on this pie!
First, make sure to use a good quality gluten free flour blend. I always bake with King Arthur Measure for Measure.
Next, I increased the brown sugar in the crust to help make it sweet. I also added a tablespoon of cornstarch and a tablespoon of dairy free milk to help with the texture.
Finally, and most importantly, for the gluten free crust I do recommend that you blind bake the crust. A quick blind bake of 10 minutes makes sure that the crust is fully baked and you don’t have a soggy bottom!
Top Tips
- While you can enjoy these pie bars after 30 minutes of cooling on the counter, I find the best flavor after they have chilled in the fridge for 4 hours. The chilling really helps to set the filling and make them easier to slice, too.
- To make it extra fancy for serving at holidays, decorate with tiny pumpkin pie cut-out shapes like tiny pumpkins and leaves. Top with a bit of dairy free whipped cream, coconut cream, and a drizzle of maple syrup to make this outta this world good!
- You can use a homemade pumpkin pie spice in place of the individual spices in this recipe. Use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of your favorite pumpkin spice blend.
- I find that using room temperature ingredients, especially the dairy free milk and pumpkin, help the vegan pumpkin pie filling come together easier.
How to Store
Fridge: These bars taste best after chilling for 4 hours in the fridge. To store leftovers, cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Store the fully baked and cooled pumpkin pie bars in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to one month.
To Reheat: Allow frozen bars to thaw in the fridge overnight. To reheat, place a bar on a microwave safe plate and warm in 15 second intervals until warmed through. Enjoy!
More Pumpkin Recipes to Love
If you try these out, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. And if you want more delicious, dietary friendly recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- mixing spoons
- whisk
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- baking dish
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour for gluten free instructions, see note
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup vegan butter melted
Filling
- ⅔ cup dairy free milk
- 15 oz pumpkin 1 can of pumpkin puree, or a little under 2 cups
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Line an 8×10-inch (20×25-cm) pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Make the crust. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and sugar. Whisk together. Pour the melted butter over top and using a fork, work the melted butter into the dough. It should be soft and crumbly. Using your hands, press this into the prepared pan to get a flat surface. Set aside while you make the filling.
- Make the filling. In the same bowl (after a quick wipe with a clean towel), whisk together the milk, pumpkin, white and brown sugars, cornstarch, vanilla, and all the spices. Pour over top the prepared crust.
- Bake and serve. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. If the sides are set, the bars are ready and can be removed from the oven. If the sides still wiggle when you give it a jiggle, then place it back in the oven for a few more minutes. A slight wiggle in the middle is okay, you just want the edges (about 1 inch) of the pie bars set. Remove from the oven and let chill at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving, however, these are best when chilled for 4 hours before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- To Make these Pumpkin Pie Bars Gluten Free
- The pumpkin pie filling part is naturally gluten free so no changes are needed there.
- First, make sure to use a good quality gluten free flour blend. I always bake with King Arthur Measure for Measure.
- Next, I increased the brown sugar in the crust to help make it sweet. I also added a tablespoon of cornstarch and a tablespoon of dairy free milk to help with the texture.
- Finally, and most importantly, for the gluten free crust I do recommend that you blind bake the crust. A quick blind bake of 10 minutes makes sure that the crust is fully baked and you don’t have a soggy bottom!
- Allergy Substitutions
- If you are avoiding corn, make sure that your vanilla extract is corn free. My favorite is Singing Dog Vanilla, which is free from most allergens out there! Check out my shop page for more info.
- You can replace the cornstarch with an equal amount of arrowroot powder or tapioca flour. I have found more success with arrowroot powder, but both work.
- How to Store
- Fridge: These bars taste best after chilling for 4 hours in the fridge. To store leftovers, cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Store the fully baked and cooled pumpkin pie bars in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to one month.
- To Reheat: Allow frozen bars to thaw in the fridge overnight. To reheat, place a bar on a microwave safe plate and warm in 15 second intervals until warmed through. Enjoy!
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This site contains affiliate links which means I may receive commissions for purchases made though those links. However, please know that I only provide links to products that I actually use and totally recommend! Your purchases help support this blog. Thank you!
I cannot wait to try this recipe! Thank you for making so many recipes that we allergy sufferers can actually eat!
Thank you! I’m so excited for you to make this recipe. 🙂