Pumpkin is upon us.
It’s a fact friends. Deal with it.
I went a little pumpkin crazy at the store this week. Something comes over me when the seasons change. Because I live in a city where the weather insists on staying virtually the same temperature all year round, and the palm trees know nothing of seasonal changes, I feel like I’m forced to express the change of season in very outward, often very expensive ways.
When early October hits, and the hint of a cool night beckons me to turn my bedroom fan off, inevitably, the next day I’m out shopping for scarves, tights, knee high boots, and yes….. pumpkin.
We had a chilly night this past weekend (I’m talking low 60′s) which prompted me to take out my winter coat (yes I have one, and it’s fantastic). This also prompted me to go on a pumpkin bender at the grocery store.
I’m giving you the heads up. It’s pumpkin time people. Are you with me?
Consider this pumpkin recipe as your Fall lemon bar. Think of this pumpkin recipe as reason not to have to roll out a pie crust. Think of this pumpkin recipe when you want a nip from the Bourbon bottle while you’re baking. Is that a crime? I think not.
Pumpkin Pie Bars
adapted from Kraft
HEAT oven to 350°F. Line 13×9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; grease foil. Mix flour, 1/4 granulated sugar and brown sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats and nuts.
RESERVE 1 cup oat mixture; press remaining onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min. Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, bourbon, pumpkin and spice with mixer until well blended. Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture and a handful of butterscotch or chocolate chips (if desired).
BAKE 25 min.; cool 10 min. Use foil to transfer dessert from pan to wire rack; cool completely.
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Oh Yum!
Hi Joy, I am making these in the morning to take to the hotel to share with my sisters. We fly out early Saturday morning from SFO to Puerto Vallarta Mexico for a week. I posted for 4 pm and linked to you.
So lovely!!! A wonderful hit at our Thanksgiving. But why use canned pumpkin when it’s so easy to prepare winter squash? Buy a fabulous and fun, firm-fleshed winter squash like a hubbard or buttercup, set it on the counter, and KABAAM it once through the midpoint with your biggest knife. Then pick up the knife and the squash at the same time (it won’t go through the first time) and KABAAM it some more on the counter until the knife goes through. This is fun. Next remove seeds, rub with oil, set face down on a baking sheet you’ve rubbed with a little oil, and then bake at 350 until easily pierced with a table knife (about 45 minutes). Then turn the heat off in the oven and let the squash sit there until you’ve forgotten and remembered it… Scoop out and ready to go.
What kind of flour do I use?
I made these for Thanksgiving….they were SOOOO good! Yum!!
I’m about to make these but realized I’m confused by the instructions for the crust:
“…1/4 granulated sugar and brown sugar…”
Is this a quarter of the (3/4 c) granulated sugar and a quarter of the (1/2 c) brown sugar, or a quarter of the granualted sugar and all the brown sugar, or a 1/4 cup of each? or?
Thanks!
Kim- Use all-purpose flour.
Susan- Sorry for the confusion. For the crust, use 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and all of the brown sugar. Then use the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar for the mixture. Happy Baking!
These are in my oven right now because I wanted a little bit of fall…also, they’re my dad’s birthday gift. Can’t wait to try them. Hopefully I don’t eat them all before tomorrow!
i like to try many of your recipe!! but, can you help me to make bar such as ‘musli’??
These look pumpkin-tastic! I Think I will make a bunch for an upcoming roadtrip to Syracuse, NY. Munching them should pass the time nicely and the pumpkin a spices will accent the lovely fall foliage. Too bad we will be leaving here at 7p and arrving in syrace at 2a. Guess I’ll be imaging the beautiful foliage with every bite :o)
I want to print all of these, but the links don’t work for me, I get a Google page that’s called “Server Error”: It says: Sorry, you’ve reached a login page for a domain that isn’t using Google Apps. Please check the web address and try again. I don’t know what this means, is there another way to use your Print Recipe links? Help!
Hey Joy,
This recipe is awesome – I made them last night and had rave reviews! Thanks for this recipe and all the other awesome recipes. I have been in a total pumpkin mood ever since October hit.
made this yesterday for a autumn themed happy hour and it was a HUGE hit — a few notes for others who are going to make it:
MAKE SURE CREAM CHEESE IS TRULY SOFTENED
also, when you say “Mix flour, 1/4 granulated sugar and brown sugar” i was a little unclear as to whether you meant 1/4 c. each or 1/4th the quantity of the total mixtures of sugar. i did 1/4c. each and it turned out great
Totally delish. I omitted the nuts (son with a nut allergy) and the booze and it was still really great. I loved the butterscotch/pumpkin combination. I did have a little trouble with the cream cheese though. I couldn’t get it to really mix completely with the pumpkin. I think next time I will cream it with the sugar really well before adding the eggs and pumpkin. Thanks for another great recipe!
Oh wow! I love pumpkin desserts and this looks so fantastic! I can’t wait to try them.
I have a batch of these in the oven right now. I made them a few weeks ago for the first time – I think I am in love.
I brought in some to my office and one of the guys asked for the receipe. He said he wanted these for Thanksgiving instead of his wife’s boring pumpkin pie.
Never underestimate the power of pumpkin and butterscotch!
just wanted you to know i made these but i added white chocolate chips and mini chocolate chips in addition to the butterscotch chips. result? amazing.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliciagriffin/4057006817/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliciagriffin/4057746672/
Hello, Joy.
I have a quick question. Can you make this recipe with a real pumpkin instead of a canned pumpkin?
Where in your website can I get a recipe for pumpkin empanadas?
Please let me know.
Thanks in advance,
LALA
I made these for a boy scout pumpkin fest bake sale – my kids were extremely annoyed after tasting one that I was taking all the rest away. Great recipe.
WOW, I just made these and they are amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Made these over the weekend and am being over-analytical and crazy but the bottom layer’s got too much going on for the silky, creamy, pumpkin dopeness that is the filling. Walnuts give an interesting taste, the oats another element to the already crunchy texture, and is butter not awesome on its own? Playing with it… love the concept. You’re the coolest, more videos please. Yours in pumpkin, I-definitely-ate-half-the-pan-”analyzing”
I just discovered your blog, Love it and you made my weekend baking! I wasn’t sure what i was going to do with my left over pumpkin from my pumpkin granola but now pumpkin pie bars have come into my life…Thank you!
Is it possible to make the crust and topping without nuts due to allergies?
i’d have to rebake these to make this substitution…. i can’t tell you off the top of my head.
Thank you for this post. I got this recipe off Annies website who referenced you and I made these yesterday and they were a HUGE hit, there wasn’t any left! SOOO Yummy!
Yum! I can’t wait to try these! They look fantastic!
I love pumpkin and (being from Kentucky) bourbon is pretty much at staple around my house. Can’t wait to make these!
Joy, made these tonight, they’re absolutely delightful. Thanks for always brightening my days!
I am making these delicious looking treats for my family’s Thanksgiving feast this year! I hope I don’t eat all of them before I get them to my uncle’s house! :)
I’m making these for Thanksgiving! Is it okay to make them the day before? Or, will
the crust get to mushy?
I love these! Just made them tonight. I did use the 1/3 less fat cream cheese but you can’t tell. They are delicious!
Make These. Now.
Biggest. Hit. Ever. Thanks Joy.
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