Pumpkin season!! And yet another pumpkin recipe and yes this Pumpkin Crumb Bars is another bar recipe! But…this bar recipe is like a Date Square gone Pumpkin. The difference is in the filling – this bar filling is a fluffy custardy pumpkin filling that is just delicious layered between the oatmeal base and crumb topping. Speaking of that crumb topping, it is a little over the top with the addition of pecans and toffee bits added in. You can’t go wrong with making this bar for dessert.
The other big difference with these Pumpkin Crumb Bars is the thickness of the bars. These bars are thick with such a substantial layer of filling that even though it is made in a 9×9 pan you will be able to serve at least 16 folks. For the test run of this recipe I made it at for a few girl friends who were at camp with me for the weekend for a time of sewing and eating (we did more eating than sewing by the way). The first taste test was just plain, then the second test was with vanilla ice cream but we decided they would be best served with a dollop of whip cream with a dusting of cinnamon. The next morning the ladies changed their minds and thought the bars were perfect with a cup of coffee for breakfast.
With Thanksgiving coming up, buy a pie pumpkin, cut it in half, roast it and scrape out the fluffy pumpkin meat and bake up some Pumpkin Crumb bars…you won’t be disappointed.
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups quick-cooking oatmeal
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
- ¼ cup toffee bits
- ¾ cup salted butter, room temp
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 -14 0z can sweetened condensed milk
- Line a 9 x 9 square baking pan with parchment paper ensuring the paper reaches up all the way on the sides. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In bowl of stand mixer add the flour, oatmeal,brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix on low speed. Add the butter and mix until butter is well incorporated and comes together in pea sized clumps about 2 minutes.
- Remove 2 cups of mixture to another small bowl and add to that the pecans and toffee bits, mix well and reserve this for the crumb topping.
- Dump the remaining flour mixture into the prepared pan and pack down evenly with an off-set spatula.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile in the bowl of the stand mixture whisk together the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and pumpkin. Then whisk in the sweetened condensed milk.
- Pour this mixture onto the crust and then bake another 22 minutes.
- Then sprinkle on the reserved crumb mixture and bake another 15 minutes.
- Let rest at least 2 hours before cutting and serving.