Several years ago, when I was living in South Carolina, I had to work the day before and the day after Thanksgiving, so I couldn’t go to my family’s house in Michigan. Instead, I drove up to Charleston to have Thanksgiving dinner with my grandparents and my aunt and uncle. But said dinner wasn’t in the dining room. It wasn’t even inside a house. It was in the middle of the woods, at a picnic table, at the club where my grandpa and uncle go to hunt. Several of their hunting friends were also there, with their families. And it was suprisingly nice. The only problem was that we somehow ended up with two turkeys, some other kind of meat (ham, I think) and not much else.

Someone had thought to bring a can of yams, there may have been a green bean casserole (which I don’t eat), and my aunt made some delicious banana pudding… but there was no pie. And, for me, Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without pie, or at least something pie-adjacent.

However, I know that making pie crust or baking multiple pies can be too overwhelming when you’re already worrying about cooking a giant turkey and making all manner of side dishes. Or, if you’re planning on cooking and eating dinner in the middle of the woods. So, I bring you this recipe: It’s super simple, takes very little time to assemble, and is easily cut into many small portions for anyone who wants “just a taste,” but you still get the flavor and feel of pumpkin pie — without having to buy a subpar grocery store pie.

And, of course, it’s also good for a potluck, Friendsgiving, or any occasion that could use a little pumpkin. I hope you enjoy it!

Pumpkin coconut bars (Adapted from a recipe my mom got from someone around the time I was born, makes a 9×13-inch pan full of pumpkiny goodness, to be cut into however many bars you wish)
Crust
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup sweetened flake coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1 package (I think it’s 3.4 oz) butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus additional tablespoon

Filling
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 16-ounce can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs (I forgot to add these, and the bars were fine, so feel free to leave them out if you have an allergy/intolerance)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch pan. Put the stick of butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave it for 20-30 seconds, until it’s partly melted.

Put the flour, oats, coconut, pecans and butterscotch pudding mix in a large bowl and stir to combine, then add the 1/2 cup of butter and stir. If there is still a lot of dry flour/pudding mix left, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir it in. Once the butter and dry ingredients are well combined, pour the mixture into the prepared pan and use the spoon to press it down evenly to make a crust.

Pour the sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice into the same bowl, then add the eggs and mix well (you can use a spoon or a whisk — you don’t really need an electric mixer). Carefully pour the filling over the crust and use the back of a spoon to gently spread it so it is evenly distributed.

Bake the bars for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool, then cut and serve with whipped cream. Cover the uneaten bars and store in the refrigerator.