Pumpkin Squares With Oat Crust and Crumb Topping

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/26/21
Pumpkin Squares With Oat Crust and Crumb Topping

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 24 servings

Many versions of pumpkin bars are crowned with a cream cheese topping, but this version features a buttery and chewy oat-crumble—both as the bottom and top crust. The pumpkin filling in these delicious pumpkin squares is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and other typical "pumpkin pie" spices, making for a quintessential fall treat.

These pumpkin bars with oat crumble crust can be enjoyed almost any time of day, whether an indulgent breakfast, late morning snack, afternoon pick-me-up, or tasty dessert. They're also perfect for packing in the lunch box. Feel free to use store-bought pumpkin spice or make your own from scratch.

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Ingredients

For the Oat Crumble:

  • 1 1/2 cups oats, quick-cooking

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

  • 1/2 cup pecans, or walnuts, chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature

For the Filling:

  • 1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin puree, 2 cups

  • 2/3 cup milk

  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Pumpkin Squares With Oat Crust and Crumb Topping ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Preheat the oven to 375 F and lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan.

    greased baking pan

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Make the oat crumble. Combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, salt, baking soda, and butter. Beat until the mixture is crumbly.

    oats, flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, salt, baking soda, and butter in a bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture and press the remaining mixture into the baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

    crumble in a baking pan

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Beat the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until well blended and smooth.

    filling ingredients in a bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Spread filling over the crust and sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture.

    baked crumble in a baking pan on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Return to the oven and bake 25 minutes longer. Cool and cut into bars.

    Pumpkin Squares With Oat Crust and Crumb Topping in a baking pan on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie Spice

To make the spice mix from scratch, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice.

What's the difference between pumpkin puree vs. pumpkin pie filling?

Although both of these canned products can sit side-by-side on the grocery store shelf, pumpkin puree and pie filling are two different things. Pumpkin puree, which can also be labeled "100 percent pure pumpkin," "solid pack pumpkin," or simply "pumpkin," is simply cooked and mashed squash without any sweeteners or seasonings added. Pumpkin pie filling, on the other hand, does include ingredients to add sweetness and flavor, making it a convenience when baking pumpkin pie or other pumpkin desserts. Although you can use pumpkin puree in place of pie filling (and add the necessary spices and sweeteners), it is trickier to substitute the pie filling for the puree as it's more difficult to eliminate flavorings and maintain the integrity of the recipe.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
155 Calories
8g Fat
19g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 155
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 126mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 103mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)