Small Batch Pumpkin Pie Bars
These small batch Pumpkin Pie Bars are made from scratch for one or two, with a spiced pumpkin filling on a buttery shortbread crust. They're baked in a 5-inch dish and cut into 4 bars.
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 ½ tablespoons butter - plus more for greasing the baking dish.
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the filling
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 large egg
- 7.5 ounces pure pumpkin puree (half of a 15-ounce can)
- 6 ounces evaporated milk (half of a 12-ounce can)
- whipped cream: optional
Instructions
Make the crust
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter a 5x5-inch baking dish, line it with parchment paper leaving an overhang on two sides, then lightly butter the parchment.
- Beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Mix until it comes together into a soft dough.
- Press the dough into an even layer across the bottom of the dish, using your fingers or the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust is set and lightly golden. Set it aside to cool while you make the filling.
Make the filling
- Stir the granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves together in a small bowl.
- In a larger bowl, beat the egg, pumpkin purée, and the spice mixture with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add the evaporated milk and mix until the filling is smooth and pourable.
- Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly when you nudge the dish.
Cool and slice
- Cool the bars in the dish on a wire rack for 2 hours, until fully set. For the cleanest slices, refrigerate until cold.
- Lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and set them on a cutting board.
- Peel back the parchment and cut into 4 bars. Top with whipped cream, if using.
Notes
Soften the butter first. Leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes, until it gives slightly when you press it. Room-temperature butter creams into the sugar evenly, so the crust presses into a smooth, even base across the bottom of the dish.
Use the right size dish. This small batch recipe is built for a 5x5-inch baking dish, which gives the filling the depth it needs to bake into a proper custard. A smaller dish can overflow, and a larger one spreads the filling too thin to set into a proper custard.
Whisk the filling just until smooth. Mix the egg, pumpkin, and evaporated milk only until blended. Whipping air into it makes the filling puff while it bakes, then sink as it cools.
Take them out when the center still jiggles. The filling is a custard, so it keeps cooking after it comes out of the oven. Remove the dish once the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly. The bars firm up as they cool.
Cool fully, then chill for the cleanest slices. Let the bars cool completely, then refrigerate before cutting. Cold bars hold their shape and cut into clean squares, and I think they taste even better chilled.
Slice with a warm knife. Dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and cut. Wipe it clean between cuts for neat edges.
To make a larger batch: Double the ingredients and use either two 5×5-inch dishes or one dish with a base area of 40–50 square inches, like a 6.5×6.5 or 6×8-inch dish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 402mg | Potassium: 288mg | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.003mg
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