Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
Three-layer pumpkin oatmeal bars with a chewy oat crust, a custardy pumpkin pie center, and a buttery oat crumble top. One oat mixture makes two layers.
Servings 16 bars
Ingredients
For the Oat Crust and Crumble
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned oats
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Filling
- 1 ¼ cups pumpkin puree 100% pure
- ⅓ cup evaporated milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make the Oat Layers
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment.
- Stir the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and both sugars together. Pour in the melted butter and vanilla and mix until the mixture clumps.
- Press about two-thirds of the oat mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan. Set the rest aside for the crumble top.
Make the Filling
- Whisk the pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, egg yolk, both sugars, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla until smooth. It should look like a loose pumpkin pie filling.
Layer and Bake
- Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes so the bottom sets.
- Pour the pumpkin filling over the warm crust, then scatter the reserved oat mixture over the top in clumps.
- Bake for another 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is set and the crumble is golden. Cool completely before cutting into 16 bars.
Notes
- Par-bake the crust: 10 minutes before the filling goes on keeps the bottom from getting soggy.
- Reserve crumble: hold back about a third of the oat mixture for full coverage on top.
- Cool completely: let the pumpkin layer firm up before cutting so the bands stay neat; chill if needed.
- Cut cold: a sharp knife wiped between cuts shows off the three stripes.