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+ servings
Pumpkin pie bars sliced into 16 even bars with toasted meringue topping.

Dairy-free Pumpkin Pie Bars with a Graham Cracker Crust

Author: Mika Kinney
5 from 3 votes
These dairy-free pumpkin pie bars with a graham cracker crust are like a classic pumpkin pie made better! These pumpkin bars are made with pantry staple ingredients, can be made in advance, and pack a flavor punch thanks to sharp ginger and creamy cinnamon meringue.
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Protein: 0.01g
Serves: 16 bars
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Equipment

  • 2 medium bowl
  • 1 8" x 8" square pan

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients

  • 1.5 sleeve graham crackers crushed (14 crackers, turns into 1.5 cups pulverized, use gluten free as needed)
  • 6 tablespoon butter melted (or vegan butter or coconut oil)
  • cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar (see notes for using this))

Pumpkin Custard Ingredients

  • 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup milk (plant-based or cow's)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger minced (or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger)
  • 1.5 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see notes for alternatives)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
  • 3 tablespoon corn starch (or arrow root flour or tapioca starch)
  • ¾ cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar or maple syrup, see notes for using coconut sugar)
  • 3 egg yolk

Meringue Ingredients (optional, can use whipped cream instead)

  • 3 egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • optional: vanilla, cinnamon, or salt

Before you start!

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Instructions

  • Prepare: Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Store the egg whites in the fridge until ready to use. Pulverize or crush the graham crackers either with a food processor, a blender, or by putting them in a plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.
    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    Line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper so it hangs over the edges. See notes for baking in a different sized pan.
  • Make the crust: Mix the melted butter, graham crackers, and brown sugar until it resembles wet sand. Press this into your lined pan using your hand or a spatula. Bake this for 10 minutes
    Side by side showing the crust texture and the lined pan with the crust in it.
  • Make the custard: Whisk together all pumpkin pie filling ingredients until smooth.
  • Combine: Remove the crust from the oven and pour the custard on top. Smooth out the top. Return to the oven to bake for another 30-35 minutes. When it's done, the top will be golden brown, stiff to the touch but will still have a slight wobble. Let it cool enough to handle and transfer to the fridge to cool completely (about 2 hours).
    The pan with the custard spread on top of the crust.
  • Make the meringue: When the bars are almost cool (or when you want to serve them), make the meringue by whipping the egg whites and cream of tartar into soft peaks. You can do this with a whisk (or immersion blender with a whisk attachment), hand mixer, or in a stand mixer.
    Once soft peaks form (this can take upwards of 5-7 minutes depending on the method you use), add the powdered sugar ¼th of a cup at the same time. Mix for 30 seconds to a minute each time after adding the sugar.
    Add in vanilla, cinnamon, or salt if desired. Keep mixing until the meringue becomes glossy. They do not need to be stiff peaks for these bars.
  • Combine: Top the bars with the meringue, slice, and enjoy! You can also slice the bars and then dollop the meringue on each bar. You can also toast the meringue using a torch or the broil setting on your oven. Or, you can just use coconut whipped cream.
    Pumpkin bars with meringue on top.

Video

Notes

If using coconut sugar, double the sugar in the custard (leave the crust quantities as is).
Instead of pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
HELPFUL TIPS
  • Use a rubber spatula: This is the easiest way to press the crust into the pan so you get one even layer.
  • ​Keep mixing the crust: The crust ingredients may seem dry at first, but just keep working the butter through crumbs until you get a wet sand texture.
  • Make the bars fully the day before: In testing these bars, the meringue will hold up for up to about 24 hours. This means you can fully make the bars the day before and then just grab and go on the day of to serve them. Just wait to slice them until right before serving.
  • Line the tray: These bars can be hard to get out of the tray so I like to line the baking dish with enough parchment paper to grab the side and lift the bars out. You can also leave them in the tray, slice them, and then dollop each slice with meringue to serve straight from the tray.
Common Questions
How do I know if the custard is set? The custard should be slightly brown and stiff to the touch while also still having a bit of a wobble to it.
Can I make this without the meringue? Definitely. You can simply top it with whipped cream or coconut cream.
Can I make these bars in different size pan? Definitely, see the chart below.
Batch Size Pan Size Bake Time
Half 9"x5" loaf pan (or similar) 30-35 minutes
Full 8" or 9" Pie pan or tart 30-35 minutes
Full 9"x5" loaf pan (or similar) 50-55 minutes
Double 9"x13" 35-40 minutes
Double 9"x9" square 50-55 minutes
Storage Tips
Fridge: Simply cover with plastic wrap or place in an air-tight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. The meringue will start to wilt after 1 day, but don’t worry it still tastes great!
Freezer: Store in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap and in a plastic bag. These will keep for 3 months in the freezer. I find it best to freeze them sliced into individual bars.
When you want to eat them, just let the pumpkin bars sit out for 5 minutes to soften a bit. The custard will become slightly icy but otherwise, they taste great and freezing helps to preserve the meringue texture.
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
Additional substitution options can be found above in the substitution section of this post.

Looking for more information?

Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy free, holidays, pie, Pumpkin, thanksgiving

Nutrition

Calories: 0.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.1g | Protein: 0.01g | Fat: 0.01g | Saturated Fat: 0.001g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 0.2mg | Fiber: 0.003g | Sugar: 0.02g | Calcium: 0.1mg | Iron: 0.004mg
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