Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

Of course Homemade Pumpkin Pie is always a classic, but check out these bars if you’d like to try something different with your pie pumpkin!

Filling:
1 (8 ounce package) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Batter:
1 cup pureed Red Dog pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecan pieces (optional)

For the pumpkin: Preheat oven to 375°. Put your pumpkin in the oven, whole, on a baking tray, for 45-60 minutes, until you can pierce the flesh with a fork. Remove, halve, scoop out the seeds, and let cool. Then scoop out the flesh and blend or mash it into puree.

For the filling: With a hand mixer, blend together softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

For the batter: Coat a 9×13″ baking pan with butter. Set aside.

Combine the pumpkin, sugar, egg and oil in medium mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Stir in flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to combine. Pour batter into prepared baking dish, and spread to cover bottom of pan.

Add dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Cut through the batter with a knife to make a marbled effect with the cream cheese mixture in a back-and-forth pattern. Repeat going the other way. When marbling, make sure you don’t go all the way to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans if desired.

Bake for 25 – 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and cut into squares. Store extras in the refrigerator.

*If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own by combining 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon allspice.