These Pumpkin Lush Bars will make for a delicious fall layered dessert. You will find layers of cream cheese filling, pumpkin pudding, and whipped topping, all on top of a yummy shortbread crust. Perfect for Thanksgiving dessert.
Pumpkin Lush Bars
Fall has officially arrived and I have been sharing so many great pumpkin recipes with you these past couple of weeks. I made the most delicious homemade pumpkin pudding that was screaming to be used in a layered dessert. Since my family really enjoyed my Lemon Lush Bars this summer, I was thinking a pumpkin lush bar would be a perfect fall spin on the dessert.
Oh boy was I right! These bars are like heaven. The flavors of pumpkin, cream cheese, whipped topping, and cookie base are out of this world amazing.
My daughter and I enjoyed a piece after our light lunch today and we were both impressed. We both agree that they need to be added to our Thanksgiving dessert menu.
Not only are these bars tasty, they are also super adorable and you could call them “elegant” looking too. They honestly remind me of a dessert you would find at a high end restaurant.
Since this is a chilled dessert, it will be a perfect make ahead holiday dessert idea. Not much baking to occupy oven space that is needed when doing holiday baking.
This recipe is so super simple and does not take very long to make. You can purchase store bought boxed pumpkin pudding if you find it in your local stores (it is a seasonal item). I used my own homemade pumpkin pudding recipe and it was perfect.
Please note there is an egg in the ingredient picture that should not be there.
INGREDIENTS
8 tbsp softened Butter
3/4 cup Sugar, divided
3/4 cup Flour
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 pkg Pumpkin Pudding Mix (3.4 oz) + 1 3/4 cup Milk
OR Homemade Pumpkin Pudding
8 oz thawed Frozen Whipped Topping
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350.
Line an 8×8″ dish with aluminum foil.
Cream the butter and 1/4 cup sugar until creamy.
Beat in the flour until well blended.
Press into bottom of prepared pan and bake 25 minutes or until lightly brown on edges.
Allow to cool.
Beat together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until well blended.
Spread over cooled crust.
Prepare homemade pumpkin pudding (and allow to cool) or combine pudding mix and milk and beat for 3 minutes until barely thickened.
Spread pudding over the cream cheese.
Refrigerate until pudding is set (I left mine in overnight)
Remove from pan by lifting foil.
Cut into bars.
Spread whipped topping over bars.
Do you have a favorite layered dessert you make frequently during the fall months?
Pumpkin Lush Bars
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp softened Butter
- 3/4 cup Sugar divided
- 3/4 cup Flour
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- 1 pkg Pumpkin Pudding Mix 3.4 oz + 1 3/4 cup Milk
- OR Homemade Pumpkin Pudding
- 8 oz thawed Frozen Whipped Topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Line an 8x8" dish with aluminum foil.
- Cream the butter and 1/4 cup sugar until creamy.
- Beat in the flour until well blended.
- Press into bottom of prepared pan and bake 25 minutes or until lightly brown on edges.
- Allow to cool.
- Beat together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until well blended.
- Spread over cooled crust.
- Prepare homemade pumpkin pudding or combine pudding mix and milk and beat for 3 minutes until barely thickened.
- Spread pudding over the cream cheese.
- Refrigerate until pudding is set.
- Remove from pan by lifting foil.
- Cut into bars.
- Spread whipped topping over bars.
Looking for other pumpkin dessert ideas? Be sure to see these other recipes that I have shared…
