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Fall Baking Intermediate

Pumpkin Pie Seven-Layer Bars

Name: Pumpkin Pie Seven-Layer Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups graham cracker crumbs; ½ cup unsalted butter, melted; ¼ cup brown sugar; ¾ cup pumpkin purée, not pie filling; ½ tsp cinnamon; ¼ tsp nutmeg; ¼ tsp ginger; 1 pinch cloves, optional; ¼ tsp salt; 14 oz sweetened condensed milk; 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips; ½ cup chopped pecans; ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut

Graham cracker crust, spiced pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, pecans and coconut baked into gooey, sliceable fall bars.

By Denise Updated October 17, 2026

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Pumpkin pie meets classic seven-layer bars: crunchy crust, spiced pumpkin and a gooey chocolate, pecan and coconut top.

Prep15 min

Cook35 min

Total50 min

Serves12

LevelIntermediate

What makes it special

Unsalted butter
Brown sugar
Pumpkin purée
Cinnamon

Seven-layer bars were always on my grandmother's holiday cookie tray. One fall I added a spiced pumpkin layer and these bars were born. They taste like pumpkin pie, pecan pie and a chocolate chip cookie all at once, and there's no mixer involved.

The magic layer

Sweetened condensed milk is what makes these bars 'magic'. As it bakes, it bubbles around the chocolate, coconut and nuts and turns into a gooey, caramel-like layer that holds everything together.

Building the bars

1. Buttery graham cracker crust. 2. Spiced pumpkin purée. 3. Sweetened condensed milk. 4. Chocolate chips. 5. Chopped pecans. 6. Shredded coconut.

Tips

Plain pumpkin purée, not pie filling.
Press the crust firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup.
Toast the coconut first if you want even more flavor.
Chill before cutting. Cold bars slice into neat squares.

Variations

Spicier crust: gingersnaps or speculoos instead of graham crackers.
Cheesecake swirl: dollop sweetened cream cheese into the pumpkin layer.
S'mores: mini marshmallows instead of coconut.
Caramel: a drizzle of caramel sauce before baking.

Serving

They travel beautifully to potlucks, look lovely wrapped in parchment as gifts, and are wonderful warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Questions, answered

Can I use pumpkin pie filling?

No. Use plain pumpkin purée; the spices and sweetener are added separately.

Can I swap the crust?

Yes. Crushed gingersnaps or spiced speculoos cookies make a lovely, spicier base.

Do they freeze well?

Yes. Wrap the bars individually and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.

Recipe by

Denise