Pumpkin Pie Bars {Foodie Friday}

This could also be called Pumpkin Pie to-go. It's that good. My sister in law saw all the yummy goodies I have been making on my Facebook page and specifically requested I make her something when she came home from California. We had a family dinner while she was home, and let me say, these did not last long. I also made pumpkin butterscotch cookies. I was in pumpkin heaven. I didn't even realize that I had baked this in the wrong pan until the next day. whoops. Turned out it didn't seem to effect the end result.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Ingredients:
For the crust and topping:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
12 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup chopped pecans

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Butterscotch chips, for topping

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan. Lightly grease the foil. Combine the flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl and toss with a fork. Add the pieces of butter to the dry ingredients and cut it in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the oats and chopped pecans.

Reserve 1 cup of the crust mixture and set aside. Add the remaining crust mixture to the prepared baking pan and press onto the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Bake the crust alone in the oven for 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the filling.

To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth and well combined.

Once the crust has been removed from the oven, pour the filling into the pan and smooth over the crust. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture and butterscotch chips, as desired. Bake for 25 minutes, remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Slice and serve.

Source: Annie's Eats, adapted from Joy the Baker, originally from Kraft