Ingredients
Scale
- For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup cold salted butter, cubed
- For the Filling:
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or butter. For even easier removal, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides to act as handles later.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or your clean fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Bake the crust for 15 minutes or until it is just beginning to turn a very light golden brown. Remove it from the oven but keep the oven on.
- While the crust is pre-baking, prepare the filling. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs lightly. Stir in the pumpkin puree, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt until smooth. Gradually pour in the evaporated milk while whisking constantly. Ensure the mixture is well-combined and there are no large lumps of pumpkin remaining.
- Carefully pour the pumpkin mixture over the warm, pre-baked crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The bars are done when the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle but is no longer liquid. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. This cooling period is essential for the filling to set properly.
- Once cooled, use the parchment paper handles to lift the entire block out of the pan. Use a sharp knife to cut the rectangle into 12 even bars. For clean cuts, wipe the knife with a damp paper towel between each slice. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes