Pumpkin Millionaire Shortbread

5 from 5 votes

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.

If you think pumpkin pie is the only way to enjoy pumpkin this season, you’re about to have a new favorite dessert. This Pumpkin Millionaire Shortbread has buttery shortbread, creamy pumpkin pie filling, melty chocolate chips, crunchy walnuts, and a caramel drizzle on top. It’s rich, layered, and so fancy you’ll probably put your pinky finger up while eating them.

Laurens Latest 53


 

Ingredient Notes + Variations

This recipe layers classic shortbread with pumpkin pie filling, chocolate, and caramel. Each component is simple, but together they make a next-level dessert. This is an easy recipe and most of the ingredients you likely have in your pantry already! If you want to double this recipe, use a larger pan like a 9×13 baking dish. Here are a couple ingredients to take note of.

  • Caramel Sauce – Use homemade caramel sauce or store-bought to finish the bars.
  • Butter – Softened butter creates a tender shortbread base.
  • Pumpkin – Make sure to use pure pumpkin (not pie filling).
  • Walnuts – Toasted for extra crunch and flavor.
pumpkin millionaire shortbread

How to Make Pumpkin Shortbread Bars

These pumpkin pie bars are easy to put together in a single pan. The shortbread presses in quickly, the filling whisks together in one bowl, and the topping is a simple sprinkle and drizzle before baking. For full recipe details, including ingredients and measurements needed, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Preheat + Prep Pan

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line an 8×8 square dish with parchment paper or foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.

Pro Tip: If you are taking these Pumpkin Shortbread Bars to a function of some sort and want them to look good, I’d recommend lining your 8×8 dish with parchment or foil for easy removal and waiting until they are completely cool before removing and cutting.

2. Prepare the Shortbread Base

Baking ingredients arranged on a countertop, including flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, pumpkin puree, spices, nuts, and chocolate chips in various bowls and containers.

in a large bowl, combine flour, sugar + cold butter

A large glass bowl with crumbly dry ingredients, surrounded by smaller bowls containing pecans, flour, spices, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, and caramel.

add salt + vanilla extract, mix until dough forms

Square baking dish with dough, surrounded by bowls of flour, vanilla, cinnamon, chopped pecans, and caramel on a marble surface.

press evenly into the bottom of the pan

2. Make the Pumpkin Filling

Bowl with pumpkin puree, brown sugar, flour, and spices. Nearby are bowls of vanilla extract, pecans, and cinnamon.

in a different bowl, whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg + flour

A glass bowl with pumpkin batter and a whisk. Nearby are bowls of flour, pecans, chocolate chips, vanilla, and caramel on a white surface.

stir until smooth

3. Assemble the Bars

A person pours pumpkin batter from a glass bowl into a baking dish filled with dough, surrounded by small bowls of spices and flour on a white surface.

pour pumpkin mixture over crust

A baking dish filled with pumpkin batter is surrounded by ingredients like flour, cinnamon, vanilla extract, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, and a jar of wet ingredients on a marble surface.

smooth the top evenly

Baking dish with dough topped with chocolate chips and nuts. Surrounded by bowls of ingredients on a marble surface.

sprinkle nuts + chocolate chips over the top

4. Add Caramel Sauce + Bake

A square pan filled with a pumpkin dessert topped with chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and drizzled caramel.

drizzle caramel sauce over the top

A square baking dish filled with a chocolate dessert topped with nuts and caramel drizzle. Small pumpkins and a pumpkin-themed cloth are nearby.

bake until filling sets + edges are golden brown

5. Cool + Serve

A baking dish with sliced dessert bars topped with caramel, chocolate, and nuts. One piece is being lifted by a spatula.

cool bars completely before removing cut into 16 equal squares and serve

Tips for Success

  • Use a sharp knife and wipe between cuts to keep the squares pretty.
  • Let the bars cool completely before cutting for neat slices.
  • Chill before serving if you want extra clean layers.
A stack of three dessert bars with chocolate chips and nuts on a light surface. In the background, there is a blurred pumpkin decoration.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Pie Bars

These bars are a unique twist on classic pumpkin pie, offering that same spiced filling but with the rich, crumbly base of a shortbread cookie. Whether you’re a pumpkin spice fan or just in the mood for something sweet, these Pumpkin Shortbread Bars will hit the spot. Enjoy a slice of fall with each bite! Printable recipe card is below, happy baking! 🙂

Close-up of dessert bars topped with chocolate chips, nuts, and caramel on a white background.

Pumpkin Millionaire Shortbread

Katie Cooksey
These Pumpkin Shortbread Bars are to the perfect holiday dessert! They have a buttery shortbread bottom and are topped with chocolate chips, walnuts, and caramel.
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 pieces
Calories 182 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

for the shortbread base-

for the pumpkin filling-

for the toppings-

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325° F. Line an 8×8 square dish with parchment paper or foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for shortbread until moist. Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Set aside. 
  • In a different large bowl, whisk together ingredients for pumpkin filling. Stir until smooth.
  • Pour over shortbread and smooth the top.
  • Sprinkle nuts and chocolate chips over top and press lightly into filling.
  • Drizzle caramel sauce over top of entire dessert. 
  • Bake 45 minutes to an hour or until pumpkin filling has set.
  • Cool completely before removing. Cut into 16 equal squares and serve.

Notes

These are amazing served chilled as well!

Storage Instructions

  • Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
  • Refrigerate: Keeps well for up to 5 days.
  • Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
  • Make Ahead: Bake and cool completely, then store covered until ready to slice and serve.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 61mgPotassium: 106mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 3758IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg
Keyword how to make pumpkin pie bars, pumpkin pie bars, pumpkin pie bars recipe
Rate This RecipePlease consider Leaving a 5-Star Review!

More Pumpkin Recipes to Try

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

5 from 5 votes

Share a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




17 Responses
  1. Barbi Eakin

    These sound so amazing for this season…..Well really for any time of year when you love pumpkin like my family does. Can’t wait to make it soon.
    Thank for all your hard work on our behalf.

  2. SANDRA WEIDNER

    Can’t wait to try this recipe. Having son and grandson coming down from IN to FL for Thanksgiving. When he was little he came up to me and gave me a big hug then said”Mom do you know why I love you? Because you make pumpkin pie. So I am sure he will love these.

  3. Tara

    I am definitely making these and i’m the only one in the family that likes pumpkin. Big win for me and these look amazingly delicious.

  4. Rachel Shimon

    5 stars
    Oh yum! My whole family would go crazy for these pumpkin bars. This recipe looks super easy and full of ingredients my family loves.
    Loved the taste of these bars, Next time i’m going to double the filling.
    thanks for a great recipe!
    Looking forward for more recipes!

  5. Emily

    5 stars
    This were amazing!! So easy to make and after chilling in the fridge all night were seriously to die for the next day! Thank you for this recipe!

Hi, I'm Katie, a professional recipe developer who spends countless hours perfecting recipes so you can know with confidence that what you see is exactly what you’ll get.

“logos”