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Pumpkin pie for a crowd gets tricky when you only have one pie plate. These pumpkin pie bars fix that. The crust is just yellow cake mix and melted butter, pressed into a 9×13 pan, with a spiced pumpkin pie filling poured right over the top. Eight ingredients total, and you get the flavor of pumpkin pie with the ease of a cake.

Need a pumpkin dessert that skips the oven completely? My no bake pumpkin cream pie sets up in the fridge overnight.

Just made yesterday for the weekly family dinner and it was an absolute hit!! Perfect ratio of pumpkin pie filling to crust. For those that don’t care for traditional pumpkin pie, these bars are a great substitution (or addition)!
-Jo Anne

Close-up of pumpkin pie bars with a crumbly crust, orange pumpkin filling, and a swirl of whipped cream topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon on each square—perfect for fall gatherings.
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How I Tested These Pumpkin Pie Bars

I wanted to see if I could use a box of cake mix for the crust instead of making one from scratch. Melted butter turns the dry mix into a thick dough that presses right into a 9×13 pan. Then a classic pumpkin pie filling goes on top and bakes right along with it.

It worked on the first try, and it’s so good. Simple pumpkin pie flavor, no pie dough, and enough bars for a crowd!

pumpkin pie bars in glass baking dish with 1 slice removed on wooden background

Pumpkin Bars with Cake Mix

These pumpkin bars with cake mix start with one box of yellow cake mix and ½ cup of melted butter, pressed straight into a 9×13 pan. That’s the whole crust. Pumpkin pie bars with cake mix skip the pie dough completely, and the spiced pumpkin filling bakes right on top.

A plate with pumpkin pie bars topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon, surrounded by cinnamon sticks, rests on a rustic wooden table draped with a textured cloth and pumpkins in the background.
Top-down view of baking ingredients for pumpkin pie bars on a wooden surface, including yellow cake mix, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, butter, and two labeled eggs.

Pumpkin Pie Bar Ingredients

Here’s what each ingredient does. Exact amounts are in the recipe card.

Crust

  • Yellow cake mix: Must be 15.25 oz. It’s the whole base of the crust, used dry.
  • Unsalted butter: Melted. Stir it into the cake mix until it forms a thick dough you can press into the pan.

Filling

  • Pumpkin puree: 100% pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling already has sugar and spices added, and I’ve only tested this with pure puree.
  • Eggs: 2 large. They set the filling as it bakes.
  • Sweetened condensed milk: One 14 oz can. It sweetens the filling.
  • Cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt: Classic pumpkin pie flavor.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Bars

The crust and filling come together in about 10 minutes.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix and melted butter until a thick ball of dough forms. Press the dough evenly into the 9×13 inch pan.
A glass bowl filled with melted butter and white powdered sugar sits on a wooden surface, ready to be mixed for baking delicious pumpkin pie bars.
A glass bowl filled with crumbly, pale yellow dough for pumpkin pie bars sits on a wooden surface.
  1. In another mixing bowl, combine the can of pumpkin, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until the mixture is combined and smooth.
A glass bowl on a wooden surface holds two eggs, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and baking powder—ingredients all set to be mixed for delicious pumpkin pie bars.
A glass mixing bowl filled with smooth, orange-brown pumpkin pie bars batter sits on a wooden surface. An electric hand mixer with two beaters rests in the bowl, partially covered in the creamy batter.
  1. Pour the filling on top of the crust.
A glass baking dish filled with unbaked pumpkin pie bars sits on a wooden surface. The light yellow dough appears smooth with a few small cracks on top.
Thick, spiced pumpkin batter for pumpkin pie bars is being poured from a glass bowl onto a light crust in a glass baking dish on a wooden surface.
  1. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the bars to cool before cutting.
A clear glass baking dish holds a large, evenly baked pumpkin pie bar with a smooth, golden-brown surface—perfect for anyone craving classic pumpkin pie bars—resting on a wooden table.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Bars

Use a gluten free yellow cake mix in place of the regular mix. Everything else stays the same, so it’s one pan for the whole table.

Cut Them Into Big or Small Bars

Cut these as small or as big as you like. Bite size works for a dessert table, and bigger squares work for plated slices. At Thanksgiving, I like to put them out next to a classic pumpkin pie, because most people want to try both.

How to Store and Make Ahead

  • Room temperature: Let the bars cool on the counter after baking. If you’re serving them the same day, they can sit out until then.
  • Fridge: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Make ahead: Bake them the day before and refrigerate. Take them out at least 30 minutes before serving if you like them at room temperature.
Pumpkin pie bars are arranged in a neat grid on a light-colored surface, each square topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of spices.

Pumpkin Pie Bars FAQs

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

No. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices. I’ve only tested these with 100% pure canned pumpkin puree.

Can I use a different flavor of cake mix?

Yes, but I’ve only tested this recipe with yellow cake mix.

Can I make these gluten free?

Yes. Use a gluten free yellow cake mix.

Do pumpkin pie bars need to be refrigerated?

Leftovers do. Store them covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

A pumpkin pie bar with a bite taken out, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, sits on parchment paper. More pumpkin pie bars and a pumpkin are visible in the background.

More Pumpkin Desserts

A close-up of pumpkin pie bars with a crumbly base, creamy pumpkin filling, and a swirl of whipped cream on top, sprinkled with cinnamon. Other similar bars are visible in the background.
4.33 from 102 ratings

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Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars

By: Beth
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 20 servings
Pin Rate Print
Pumpkin pie bars with a buttery yellow cake mix crust and a classic spiced pumpkin pie filling. Eight ingredients and 10 minutes of prep make one 9×13 pan.

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

Crust

  • 15.25 oz yellow cake mix
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted, 1 stick

Filling

  • 15 oz (425g) can pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs
  • 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Topping

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix and melted butter until a thick ball of dough forms. Press the dough evenly into the 9×13 inch pan.
    15.25 oz yellow cake mix, ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
  • In another mixing bowl, combine the can of pumpkin, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until the mixture is combined and smooth. Pour the filling on top of the crust.
    15 oz (425g) can pumpkin puree, 2 large eggs, 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the bars to cool before cutting. Top with cool whip or homemade whipped cream if desired.
    8 oz cool whip

Last Step: I’d love to hear what you think. Leave a rating and comment here.

Notes

Gluten-Free: Use a gluten free yellow cake mix in place of the regular mix. 
To Store: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To Make Ahead: Bake the day before and refrigerate. Take them out at least 30 minutes before serving for room temperature bars.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 3529IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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About Beth

I believe that everyone should have a go-to dessert to bring to parties! With hundreds of recipes, I'll help you find yours!

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61 Comments

    1. Do not follow the instructions to make the cake, you only need the cake mix and melted butter.

    2. Unfortunately , I made this recipe twice in two different pans and the bottom burns while the top is undercooked. Any suggestions are appreciated in what others did to prevent this from happening. 

    3. Hi Kristina! What kind of pan did you use? And do you live in a high altitude location?

    1. Hi Jessica, I’m not sure, I don’t have experience in using a can of pumpkin pie mix.