Silky Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie Bars with Brown Butter Pretzel Crust and Bourbon Whipped Cream! These are so flavorful and much easier than baking a whole pie. Perfect for Thanksgiving!
Pumpkin Pie Bars with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Recently I felt inspired to try my hand at a fun little twist on pumpkin pie. I love the classic pumpkin pie as much as the next guy, but variety’s the very spice of life! And I like to shake things up once in awhile 😉
If you’re a fan of rich, creamy pumpkin pie and are looking to pop it up a notch with some fun friends like brown butter, salty pretzels, and bourbon whipped cream, this is SO the recipe for you!
Just be warned… sharing these sweet little squares is HARD! I highly suggest hiding 5 in the fridge before company comes over.
More Pumpkin Pie Recipes:
Silky Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie Bars with Brown Butter Pretzel Crust and Bourbon Whipped Cream
Ingredients
For the Brown Butter Pretzel Crust:
- 2 cups salted pretzels, pulsed into crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned
For the Silky Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned
- 2 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- (1) 8 ounce package full-fat cream cheese, cut into cubes and at room temperature
- (1) 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree (Not pumpkin pie filling)
- 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
For the Bourbon Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (plus more if a sweeter cream is desired)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 Tablespoons kentucky bourbon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
For the Brown Butter Pretzel Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan, line it with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the body of a blender combine pretzels, cinnamon, salt, and sugar. Pulse until the pretzels have been completely smashed into tiny crumbs. Add vanilla and melted browned butter and stir well to combine.
- Press mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven. Place on a cooling rack and set aside until needed.
For the Silky Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- Place butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium low heat - stirring occasionally - until it browns slightly and begins to smell nutty. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
- Place sugar in the body of a blender and pulse for 45-60 seconds, or until it's become powdery and white. Add cream cheese and beat for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Add pumpkin and pulse for another 30 seconds.
- Fold in the browned butter. Whisk in the eggs, yolk, vanilla, and spices, stirring until well combined.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the edges are set and the center is only a little jiggly. It will firm up as it cools.
- Place the pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes, then chill in the fridge for at least one hour being slicing.
- When you're ready to serve, top each square with a dollop of whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.
For the Bourbon Whipped Cream:
- Place the cream in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on high until stiff peaks begin to form.
- Add sugar, bourbon, orange zest, and vanilla, and beat for another 2 minutes. Dollop on top of pumpkin pie bars, or place in the refrigerator until needed. Keeps for 48 hours.
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker says
These are just beautiful!! And I am sure they are remarkably tasty too. Love all the brown butter goodness.
cquek says
i need to try it right now.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Beautiful bars, I love the bourbon whipped cream!
Ari @ Ari's Menu says
I am always looking to spice everything up with bourbon whipped cream. I love the salty pretzels too!
Sarah says
MIND = BLOWN! These look INCREDIBLE! Pretzel and pumpkin and bourbon = genius!
Nora @ Buttercream Fanatic says
Oh wow, these are so small and simple, yet look like they pack the perfect pumpkin-y punch. Loving spiked whipped cream!
Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says
I have said this before but you are an absolute master in the kitchen! These bars look yummy.
Des says
OH. MY. WORD. Brown Butter?! Pretzel crust?! Bourbon Whipped Cream?! I am loving all of it!
Gloria // Simply Gloria says
I love a variety as well with any classic dish or dessert in this case! Love it. Love the flavors you put together in these bars. So divine!
Anna says
What great flavors–you had me at pretzel crust and brown butter! Sounds amazing!