Pumpkin Pie Bars

Pumpkin Pie Bars

I love the texture of these bars compared to actual pumpkin pie!

from Kraft Foods

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1/2 cup chopped pecans (I used walnuts)

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil; grease foil lining.  Mix flour, brown sugar and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in oats and pecans.  Reserve 1 cup of the oat mixture; press remaining mixture onto bottom of the pan.  Bake 15 min.

Beat cream cheese, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture (I sprinkled some cinnamon over the top of the crumb mixture for added flavor).

Bake 25 min.  Lift from pan using foil handles; cool completely.  Cut into 24 bars.  Store leftover bars in tightly covered container in refrigerator.