If you love pumpkin pie and want a low-stress dessert recipe, then these vegan pumpkin pie bars with graham cracker crust are for you! They feature a spiced pumpkin pie filling, which is made with vegan cream cheese, and an easy, press-in graham cracker crust. The bars are baked in a square pan and cut into after chilling. They’re creamy and delicious, with perfectly crisp and crumbly bottoms.

Pumpkin pie is my favorite pie, and I’ve accordingly made many vegan versions of the recipe over the years.

Finally, a few years back, I published a classic vegan pumpkin pie recipe that was a culmination of my efforts. It’s perfect.

Sometimes, however, one craves a shortcut version of a classic dessert. And that’s exactly what these vegan pumpkin pie bars are.

As Thanksgiving rolls around this year, I find myself especially in need of a holiday meal plan that’s gentle and forgiving. I tested the bars a few weeks ago, sensing that it would be a long month.

My hope was for a dessert that would speak to my eternal love of pumpkin pie without requiring much work from me, and I got just that.

Classic pie vs. pumpkin pie bars: is there really a difference?

The difference between pumpkin pie bars and a classic pumpkin pie really boils down to crust.

Specifically, traditional pumpkin pie usually features a classic pie crust, or pâte Brisée.

Pumpkin pie bars, on the other hand, can have a few different types of crust. The recipe that I’m sharing in this post features a press-in, graham cracker crust.

Other pumpkin pie bar recipes feature a shortbread crust. I’ve even seen recipes in this category that call for no crust at all, but that’s where I draw the line: at that point, we’re talking about baked pudding!

Anyway, recipe distinctions can be a little arbitrary, and the pie vs. pie bar delineation is no exception. But the idea here is that you won’t have to make, chill, and roll pastry prior to making your pumpkin pie filling.

Instead, you’ll blitz up some graham crackers, mix them with melted butter and sugar, and press them into a square baking pan.

Which graham crackers are vegan?

A few graham crackers on the market are vegan, whereas others have honey, egg, or dairy ingredients.

I typically keep it simple and use Nabisco Original Grahams, which are vegan, for baking. They’re my go-to not only for these pumpkin pie bars, but also my classic vegan cheesecake and no-bake vegan chocolate mousse pie.

Other vegan graham cracker brands include Partake Classic Grahams, Kellogg’s Original Graham’s Crackers, and Kroger® Original Graham Crackers.

A faster pumpkin pie filling

Usually, I make vegan pumpkin pie with cashew cream, which should come as no surprise. Soaked and blended cashews are my secret weapon when it comes to creamy consistencies in cooking and baking.

At any given moment, I’m likely to have a cup or two of cashew cream (not to mention cashew cheese, and cashew mayo) sitting in my freezer.

If you don’t have such a stash, however, having cashew cream on hand for baking requires a little forethought.

For my pumpkin pie bars, I take an even easier route, which is to use vegan cream cheese for creamy texture.

Store-bought vegan cream cheese is is fast, it’s low stress, and adaptable to various food allergies. For instance, use Tofutti if you’re allergic to almonds or cashews, or Kite Hill if you’re allergic to soy.

I’ve tested the recipe so far with Tofutti, Kite Hill, and Miyoko’s cream cheese, with good results each time.

For what it’s worth, for bagels and all of the breakfast things, I have a homemade vegan cream cheese recipe with tofu that I love. But I find that store-bought vegan cream cheese is better for baking.

How to make vegan pumpkin pie bars with graham cracker crust

I love a dessert recipe that’s as easy as it is rewarding.

There are a number of steps required here, and the bars should be chilled overnight or for at least four hours: plan your baking accordingly! However, none of those steps are difficult.

Step 1: Create a parchment paper sling for your baking dish

The first step in this recipe may is to prep your baking pan. It can be hard to remove bars from a square baking pan unless you use a a parchment paper sling.

King Arthur’s tutorial on this process is really helpful.

The sling will allow you to lift the whole baked good out of the pan, then slice it into individual squares on a flat surface.

It’s much less messy than trying to cut the big square into smaller squares first, then gingerly remove them, one at a time.

If you don’t have parchment at home, then you can take your chances with nonstick cooking spray. Cut the squares after chilling and remove them from the pan, one by one.

But let the buyer beware: I think using a sling is easier and cleaner!

Step 2: Prepare the graham cracker crust

This all comes together with some pulsing in the food processor. The ingredients are graham cracker sheets, vegan butter, and brown sugar, and it can be any vegan butter you like.

After processing the mixture, press it down firmly in your lined 8-inch / 20cm square baking dish. I use the bottom of a measuring cup or mason jar to do this.

Step 3: Blend the filling

The pumpkin pie bar filling comes together easily in a blender. This is a recipe in which appliances do most of the work!

You’ll be blending up:

• Canned pumpkin purée
• Vegan cream cheese
• Arrowroot or cornstarch (either is fine)
• Brown sugar
• Cane sugar
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Vanilla extract

You should only need a minute or two to blend. Once the mixture is smooth, pour it into your prepared square baking pan.

Step 4: Bake

At this point, the bars need 50 minutes in a 350°F / 175°C oven.

After baking the top of the bars will be set, but they may still wiggle a bit, similar to cheesecake. They’ll have a darker color.

Step 5: Chill

If you try to slice the pumpkin pie bars before chilling them, they’ll be too soft. Some time in the fridge is necessary for them to set.

After the bars cool at room temperature for about an hour, cover them and transfer them to the fridge for chilling.

Ideally, you should chill them overnight, but four hours is enough time if you want to make them same day.

Step 6: Enjoy

After chilling, you can go ahead and remove the pumpkin pie bars from the square baking pan, using your sling. Cut them into nine squares, and serve them as you’re ready.

A dollop of vegan whipped cream (I use a homemade tofu whipped cream or cashew whipped cream) is nice, but totally optional.

Make ahead and storage

Once baked, the bars can be stored in the fridge for up to five days. You can also freeze them for up to 8 weeks.

I happen to have a half batch in my own freezer at this very moment. I’ll be defrosting some on Wednesday, for Thursday’s holiday.

I welcome any opportunity to take a recipe that I love and make it simpler, so long as the spirit of the dish remains.

These vegan pumpkin pie bars are a great example. And there’s no reason at all why you should feel obligated to serve them for a holiday gathering or special occasion.

The bars are a really fun “anytime dessert” for autumn, not to mention an excellent sweet snack. I hope you love them!

xo