Small Batch Pumpkin Pie Bars with Swiss Meringue

This pumpkin pie is a little different than the traditional version. I find that normal pie crust doesn't pair well with custard pie fillings, so I went with an ultra thick and buttery shortbread crust. The pumpkin filling is also made extra creamy with the addition of mascarpone. And rather than topping it off with whip cream, I made a silky swiss meringue and toasted it to perfection! I almost regret not making this as a normal sized pie...

For more pumpkin recipes, try Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Macarons, Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting, and Black Bottom Pumpkin Custard Pie.

Ingredient Notes

• Unsalted Butter: You'll need one stick of unsalted butter at room temperature for the shortbread crust.
• Powdered Sugar: You'll need just ½ cup of powdered sugar for the shortbread crust.
• All-Purpose Flour: You'll need one cup of flour for the shortbread crust.
• Vanilla Extract: In each component of this recipe, add a touch of vanilla for the best flavor. 
• Brown Sugar: For a more rich molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar! You can also use light brown sugar if that's what you have on hand.
• Granulated Sugar: You'll need ¼ cup of sugar for the pumpkin filling and ½ cup for the meringue. 
• Pumpkin Puree: You'll need one cup, or 227g, of canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. 
• Spices: I used a combination of cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg, but you could also just use 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. 
• Heavy Cream: You'll need just a couple tablespoons of heavy cream for the filling. 
• Mascarpone: For an extra creamy texture, I added ¼ cup of mascarpone to the filling.
• Egg Whites: You'll need just 2 egg whites for the swiss meringue. 

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this small batch pumpkin pie bar recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

STEP 1: Make the crust. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar together for 1-2 minutes. Add the flour, salt, and vanilla, and mix until just combined. Press the crust dough into the prepared loaf pan. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Prick the crust with a fork all over and bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. Once the crust is done, turn the oven up to 375 degrees F.

STEP 2: Make the pumpkin filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Add in the pumpkin puree, spices, and salt, and mix until fully combined. Lastly, whisk in the heavy cream and mascarpone until fully combined. Pour the filling over the hot shortbread crust and bake for about 35 minutes until sett on the edges but still jiggly in the very center. Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature. Then, chill in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight. 

STEP 3: Make the Swiss meringue. Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. With a hand whisk, whisk them together until fully combined. Place the bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Whisk frequently until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Take the bowl off of the double boiler and place on the stand mixer. Whisk the meringue on medium high speed until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla, and keep whisking until stiff peaks form.

Expert Baking Tips

• This is a great make-ahead recipe! Make the pie the day before Thanksgiving and keep it in the fridge overnight. Make the meringue the morning of and keep it the fridge until ready to serve!
• Be sure to bake the shortbread crust until it's fully baked through, about 40 minutes or so. It won't bake very much when it goes in the oven the second time with the filling, and you don't want to come out with an unbaked crust.
• If you don't want as thick of a crust, you can easily cut the recipe in half!
• The pumpkin filling comes together very quickly, so wait until the crust has about 10 minutes or so before you make it. You'll want to pour the filling over the hot crust. 

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x