Pumpkin Bars

pumpkin bars

makes about 2 dozen (24)

Ingredients

for the cream cheese swirl

• softened cream cheese: 4 oz (½ package)

• granulated sugar: ¼ cup (50g)

• fresh lemon zest: ½ teaspoon

• room temp large egg yolk: 1 

• room temp heavy cream or whole milk: 2 teaspoons
  

for the crumb topping

• all purpose flour: ⅓ cup (43g)

• dark brown sugar: ⅓ cup (67g)

• cinnamon: ¼ teaspoon

• nutmeg: ⅛ teaspoon

• kosher salt: pinch

• melted unsalted butter: 3 tablespoons

for the bars

• all purpose flour: 2 cups (260g)

• baking soda: 1 teaspoon

• cinnamon: 2 teaspoons

• ground ginger: 1 teaspoon

• nutmeg: ¼ teaspoon

• black pepper: ¼ teaspoon

• cloves: ⅛ teaspoon

• kosher salt: ½ teaspoon

• dark brown sugar: 1-¼ cups (250g)

• canned pumpkin puree: 15 oz (1 can)

• vegetable oil: ¾ cup 

• sour cream: ½ cup 

• large eggs: 3 (150g)

• vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons

• *maple extract (optional): ½ teaspoon

A Few Notes:

• If you don’t have a half sheet pan (but I bet you do! It’s probably what you bake cookies on!), bake these in a 9x13 pan (they’ll be thicker and more cake like - you’ll need to bake them for a few minutes longer).

Pairs Well With:

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These cake-y bars are a (slightly) dressed up version of the elementary-school-era classic. Flavored with dark brown sugar, all the fall spices, and pumpkin puree, these also have a citrusy cream cheese swirl and a spiced crumb topping. They don’t have a frosting layer because honestly they just don’t really need a frosting layer!

the how-to (cream cheese swirl): 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a half sheet pan (~18”x13”x1”) with a length of parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and exposed sides of the pan.

In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, lemon zest, egg yolk, and heavy cream (or milk) until smooth. Set aside until needed. 

the how-to (crumb topping): 

In a small bowl, stir together all the crumb topping ingredients with a fork until crumb pieces form.

the how-to (bars):

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and kosher salt. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract, and maple extract. Add the dry ingredient mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it around evenly. Drop the cream cheese mixture by the tablespoonful around the pan - try to space the dollops relatively evenly! Swirl the pumpkin batter and cream cheese mixture together using a butter knife. Scatter the crumb topping over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-21 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Transfer the pan (leave the bars in there!) to a cooling rack and then place it in the fridge to chill. Slice and serve cold from the fridge.

Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.