pumpkin pie bars - BHG knows their shit

So as I was flipping through my new Better Homes and Gardens Magazine (the 100 Best Cookies edition!), I came across a ton of new recipes I wanted to try out. I specifically sought out recipes that I knew my boyfriend wouldn't like, so at least I could bake them for my grandma. Also, I had to choose recipes which included the ingredients we bought the first day I got there- because we wouldn't be able to go out to the store for at least a few more days (a huge blizzard was brewing and g-ma's old '88 ain't so good in the snow). Luckily for me, I think on my feet, and I bought a can of pumpkin just in case.


Doesn't pumpkin taste soooo good? Hehe


Adding the other ingredients to the pumpkin... yum.


So as I was reading the recipe, they wanted me to pour the pumpkin mixture straight into the pan and bake it. I decided I'd rather have a crust with it, because I mean- aren't bars supposed to have a crust so you can like hold them? Anyways, I just crumbled up some graham cracker with some sugar and then I melted some butter. Into the pan they went.


I'm not sure why I don't have photos of the batter on top of the crust, or the final product after being in the over. Anyways, here's the cream cheese topping over it. I know I should have waited for the pumpkin bars to cool more before I put the cream cheese frosting on, but I couldn't help myself- I was just too excited.


They came out slightly underdone in the center, because yes, I halved the recipe again. It was perfectly fine though; and I'll always rather have something underdone than overdone.


But they were still so good! Me and my grandma made gift boxes full of our goodies to give to her friends, and one of her friends even asked for the recipe to make it for herself. Like seriously, these were handheld pumpkin pies plus more! Soooo delicious.

---RECIPE---
Taken from Better Homes and Gardens magazine, "100 Best Cookies", December 2009

ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1+2/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil

graham cracker crust: (I added this because I thought it really needed a crust of some sort)
crumbled up graham cracker (maybe a cup and a half)
few tablespoons of melted butter
few tablespoons of sugar
1. Mix! and pat down into pan evenly

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil (8x8 yet again...), extending foil over edges of pan; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl stir together eggs, pumpkin, sugar, and oil. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Spread batter in the prepared baking pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (about half the time if using a 8x8) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
4. Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting. If desired, sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Using edges of foil, lift cookies out of pan. Cut into bars. Makes 18-24 bars.

cream cheese frosting:
In a medium bowl, combine two 3-oz packages softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup softened butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, beating until smooth.