Pumpkin Pie Bars with Maple Whipped Cream have all the deliciousness of pumpkin pie without the hassle of making a fancy pie crust!
Now that September is here, I’m officially declaring it pumpkin season.
Even though I bake with pumpkin a LOT during the fall months, making countless batches of pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin you name it, it’s been years since I actually baked a pumpkin pie. You know, the original pumpkin treat which began all the pumpkin hype. The pumpkin pie is like the #PSL’s great-great grandma.
The thing is, pumpkin pie seems to have only one of the year when it seems appropriate, and that’s Thanksgiving. I wanted to make something that was pumpkin pie-like but a little more acceptable all fall long. That basically meant that I made pumpkin pie into a bar form.
Not only do these Pumpkin Pie Bars with Maple Whipped Cream fit in any day of the pumpkin season, but they also seem less fancy and much easier than pie. To me, it’s a relief to not have to mess with making the pie crust edge pretty. I suppose my lack of trying isn’t doing anything to refine my pie crust skills, but if there’s a way to get around it, count me in. So, bars it is!
The crust of these Pumpkin Pie Bars with Maple Whipped Cream is an all butter pie crust, keeping them essentially identical to a traditional pumpkin pie. To jazz them up a bit, I made a lightly sweetened maple whipped cream topping. It complemented the pumpkin spices perfectly.
Speaking of those pumpkin spices, I have to say that in the two times that I tested these Pumpkin Pie Bars with Maple Whipped Cream, the spices are what I played around with. The first time I used a jar of pumpkin pie spice, and I just was not fond of the flavor. It made me think that maybe that’s why some people don’t like pumpkin pie - it lacks flavor. The second time I used my own combination of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and the results were much better.
The second time around I also set aside about ½ cup of the crust dough and added little leaf and pumpkin cutouts to the edges. It was a cute little touch that added a little fall flair, but definitely not necessary.
Now, let the pumpkin baking commence!
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P.S. Love making bars? Check out these Double Chocolate Pecan Cheesecake Bars.
Yay for pumpkin recipes! Love the maple whipped cream!