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Easy Pumpkin Pie Dessert Squares with Cake Mix Crust

Easy pumpkin pie dessert squares with cake mix crust deliver creamy, spiced filling with a buttery crust and golden cinnamon crumb topping. Baked in one 9x13 pan, then chilled until firm for easy slicing like classic pumpkin pie squares.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
cooling and chilling 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the crust
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix Reserve 1 cup for the topping; use the rest in the crust.
  • 1 stick unsalted butter Melted for the crust; also used cold and cubed for the topping.
  • 1 large egg For the crust.
For the pumpkin filling
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 0.75 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For the crumb topping
  • 1 cup reserved cake mix Use the reserved 1 cup from the crust.
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed Use cold butter, cubed, for crumb texture.
For serving
  • whipped cream Dollop on top after slicing.
  • ground cinnamon Pinch over the whipped cream.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and pan prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan so the squares release cleanly after chilling.
Make the cake mix crust
  1. Set aside 1 cup of the yellow cake mix, then stir the remaining cake mix with the melted unsalted butter and the large egg until a thick dough forms.
  2. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the greased 9x13-inch pan to create a solid base.
Mix and add the pumpkin filling
  1. Whisk the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, large eggs, packed light brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and no streaks remain.
  2. Pour the pumpkin filling over the crust in an even layer.
Prepare and add the cinnamon crumb topping
  1. Combine the reserved cake mix, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon, then rub in the cold unsalted butter until coarse crumbs form.
  2. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the pumpkin filling so it bakes up golden.
Bake
  1. Bake at 350°F for 45–55 minutes, until the center is set and a knife inserted near the middle comes out clean, with a golden topping.
Cool and chill
  1. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour to firm up the filling before chilling.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until the dessert squares are firm enough to cut cleanly.
Slice and serve
  1. Cut into 16 squares and serve each square with a dollop of whipped cream and a pinch of ground cinnamon.

Notes

For clean slices, chill until very firm (at least 2 hours) and cut with a sharp knife wiped between cuts. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze squares for up to 2 months in an airtight container (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lighter option, use low-fat evaporated milk to reduce richness without changing the bake time much.