Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bars

Happy holidays, all! Since my blog posting comes with such dependable regularity, I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you all that I am slightly off-schedule with my holiday greeting cards.

Did I say off-schedule? I meant to say, “So far behind that they’re not happening this year.”

Oops.

In the spirit of the holidays, I present to you an open letter to all of my friends and family spread far across this big ol’ country (and others!).

Dear friends,

I probably don’t tell you this enough, but I consider myself one of the top three luckiest girls in the world to have you in my life. (I think Kate Middleton and Suri Holmes may have me beat – though the Duchess has morning sickness and mini-Holmes inherited Tom Cruise genes, so maybe I’m not so far behind?)

Here’s the thing. How many people can honestly say that they have true friends. We all have the friends who you say “hi” to on the street, or with whom you abstractly talk about getting together for coffee but never actually follow through. On the other hand…you guys, well, let’s just say that it’s pretty incredible to be surrounded by people who let you show all of your colors, good, bad, and dance moves….and they love you all the same.

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your jokes (well, most of them), your hours of conversation, your jogs around the city, your glasses of wine, your gchats, your treks up mountains, your lazy Sundays, your homemade dinners, and your presence in my life.

Thank you to all of you for all that you bring to the table as individuals, and please know that I wish nothing but happiness and good things for you for this holiday season and the year ahead.

With all my love (and by some mathematical property I learned in elementary school, MM’s love as well),

Sharon

P.S. It felt wrong to post a holiday letter without something sweet to go with it. Enjoy these bars! General consensus – these are yummy, but it would be fun to make them even more yummy with a new filling. Experiment time, anyone?

Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bars 
Recipe from Joy the Baker

Crust: 
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg white
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon all-spice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
9 roasted pecan halves for topping

Directions:
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8×8 square pan, then line with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and oats. Add cold butter and quickly but thoroughly break the butter up into the dry ingredients. When broken down, some butter pieces will be the size of small peas, others will be the size of oat flakes. Add the chopped pecans and toss to thoroughly combine.
3. Remove about 2 cups of the mixture from the bowl and place in a small bowl in the refrigerator. This will be used for the crumble topping.
4. Dump the remaining crust mixture into the prepared pan and use your fingers to quickly and evenly press the crust into the bottom of the pan. Place the pressed crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
5. To prepare the filling place cream cheese in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat cream cheese on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth and pliable.
6. Add pumpkin and sugar to the softened cream cheese and beat on medium speed. Stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, ensuring that the pumpkin and cream cheese are thoroughly combined. If the cream cheese looks chunky, switch to the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until most of the cream cheese lumps are incorporated.
7. On medium speed add the egg and egg white. Beat to combine (about 1 minute). Add the spices, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat to combine.
8. Remove the pressed crust and loose crumb from the refrigerator. Pour the creamy pumpkin filling over the pressed crust. Sprinkle generously with crumb topping and top with pecan halves. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing. The bars are best served chilled.