Oat-Berry-Crumble by Simmer + Sauce (CC BY)
It’s a pie. It’s a bar. It’s a handheld treat that’s having a moment, to be sure. For these pie bar recipes, you usually create a crust, spread it in a pan, slather it with a tasty topping, then bake, cool and, well, enjoy. Read on for a selection of mouth-watering recipes for this convenient crowd-pleaser.
Related: Ridiculously Easy Dump-and-Bake Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
Lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract are all featured in this ultra-lemony dessert that seems ideal for an easy take on a classic dessert favorite.
Recipe: Baker By Nature
Related: 25 Simple Depression-Era Desserts That Actually Are Indulgent
Trisha Yearwood’s recipes, featured on her Food Network TV show, “Trisha’s Southern Kitchen,” are filled with simple pleasures and easy-to-follow instructions. This classic pie bar comes through on both counts, a blueberry-centric recipe zipped up with a bit of sour cream and cinnamon.
Recipe: Food Network
For those in search of a vegan and gluten-free dessert option that’s not lacking in flavor, this recipe may just fit the bill. Since they’re not overly sweet, these pie bars are also recommended for breakfast or as an anytime snack with a healthy edge.
Recipe: Ambitious Kitchen
This twist on a classic features some of autumn’s favorite flavors, from spiced apples to streusel topping to salted caramel (here, a homemade version that’s as easy as it’s said to be tasty).
Recipe: Sally’s Baking Recipes
Related: 25 Creative Caramel Apple Recipes
Ease takes center stage in this recipe that features canned pumpkin pie filling, a from-scratch crust and topping and is prepared in a single bowl. This recipe is a clear fan favorite, as it’s been shared more than 45,000 times.
Recipe: Crunchy Creamy Sweet
That first nip in the air might have you dreaming about a cup of hot cocoa. Take that craving a step further (with hints of s’mores) with this recipe that features graham crackers, heavy cream, chocolate and marshmallows, and an unexpected hint of espresso.
Recipe: Tasty
The creator of this recipe is a dedicated member of “Team Cranberry.” For those of us who also are, this recipe is designed to delight as it combines the tartness of cranberries with the sweet and warm flavors of a cinnamon crumble — all complemented by a zest of orange.
Recipe: Sally's Baking Recipes
This may be a “save for spring” recipe — as it’s noted that fresh strawberries are preferred — but if you score some in your local grocery, then bake away now. For those who might want to save a few calories, Greek yogurt can be subbed in for the sour cream, too.
Recipe: A Mind “Full” Mom
Peach pie filling makes this an easy, year-round option to bring that taste of fresh peaches to the table. A delicate glaze adds the finishing touch, though you certainly won’t be faulted for adding a scoop of ice cream as well.
Recipe: Shugary Sweets
Pecan pie is a classic choice at any holiday dessert table or seasonal gathering from tailgates to potluck dinners. This well-reviewed version (one baker noted she’s made it at least 50 times and it’s “better than homemade pecan pie”) takes just 15 minutes of prep (90 minutes total) and yields 36 gooey bars.
Recipe: Land O’ Lakes
It’s said that people will ask for a second or third serving if you make these, so be forewarned. We can see why with ingredients including granulated sugar, brown sugar, semi-sweet chocolate and coarsely chopped walnuts. What’s not to love?
Recipe: Food.
These quick-to-make bars that take 50 minutes total feature an easy batter and light glaze to accent the main feature, cherries. They’re also said to taste even better the second day, when the batter absorbs some of the moisture from the pie filling.
Recipe: Chocolate with Grace
Want a lush, no-bake option that comes together in a snap? These have a cookie crust and rich layers featuring cream and instant pudding. The recipe also teaches a bit of patience, as you have to chill it for several hours in the fridge before enjoying
Recipe: Like Mother, Like Daughter
Food Network celebrity Ree Drummond, aka “The Pioneer Woman,” offers her take on the classic citrus bar with this recipe that features the zest and juice of four oranges for a truly memorable flavor.
Recipe: Food Network
Crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal is the secret ingredient that elevates these anytime apple-themed snack bars to something out of the ordinary.
Recipe: Cookies & Cups
Chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and, of course, raspberries are featured in this recipe that yields what sounds like a decadent gourmet chocolate bar featuring a classic fruit pairing.
Recipe: Deliciously Sprinkled
This recipe is a spin on an old-fashioned pineapple pie with the ease of pie-bar prep. This contemporary tropical treat features a sour cream-pineapple topping for tang and is finished off with a drizzle of pineapple glaze.
Recipe: 12 Tomatoes
All the lushness of a labor-intensive coconut cream pie is distilled into this pie bar recipe that’s designed to be topped with fresh whipped cream, though a frozen whipped topping substitution is certainly permitted.
Recipe: The Country Cook
This treat features warm spices, honey, and is topped with a creamy white chocolate drizzle. Yes, you may have to make multiple batches.
Recipe: A Kitchen Addiction
The delicate lime zest on the top of these bars gives a hint as to how much lime flavor you’ll be savoring, while a graham cracker crust sets the base of this dessert that can be made in advance and frozen.
Recipe: Tastes Better From Scratch
Which pie to dig into – pumpkin, apple or pecan? No need to choose when this pie bar’s on the scene, as it features layers that give a nod to each of the holiday pie favorites.
Recipe: Food Network
There’s something refreshing about finishing a meal with a mint-flavored dessert. This incarnation features chocolate bars topped with a cool, minty cream cheese frosting and a chocolate drizzle.
Recipe: Betty Crocker
This decadent option will find a home on many a brunch table or at a cookie exchange. Dry cake mix and eggnog are among the ingredients that combine for a creamy, memorable dessert.
Recipe: Inside Bru Crew Life
Fruits and nuts are a classic combination. This award-winning recipe features easy-to-use frozen cranberries with pecans and a hint of a coconut accent.
Recipe: Taste of Home
A cheesecake in a bar. Enough said… though we’ll add that this recipe features just five ingredients said to combine for the taste of a New York Cheesecake.
Recipe: Dinner Then Dessert
Spice it up with this take on pumpkin that offers an unexpected zip from a gingersnap cookie-crumb crust. The recipe also has easy prep.
Recipe: Fork Knife Swoon
Ya gotta love this description: “It’s basically like a serving of veggies, right??” We agree and have always joked that carrot cake of any kind is a healthy choice. These bars feature fresh carrots but are decidedly cake-like in texture.
Recipe: 12 Tomatoes
For those who like their chocolate rich, this recipe is a winner, as it features a crunchy chocolate crumb base, a creamy chocolate filling and a topping of cream and chocolate shavings.
Recipe: Foodness Gracious
A buttery crust sets the tone for this classic spin on a homemade cherry pie turned into pie bars. It’s the homemade cherry filling that sets this dessert apart, with the extra effort said to be well worth it (though a can of premade filling can easily be used instead).
Recipe: I Am Baker
When you’re really watching the ingredients, this Paleo-inspired recipe is a gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free pick that is devoid of refined sugar. Among its alternative ingredients are blanched almond flour, tapioca flour, pure maple syrup and chopped pecans.
Recipe: Paleo Running Momma