OMG Pumpkin Pie Bars

These are AMAZING!! Seriously. Just go make them now!! This recipe was adapted from Kraft Foods. Everyone loved them, even my non-sweet eating brother-in-law!!

Ingredients:

For the crust and topping:

~1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

~¼ cup granulated sugar

~½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

~12 tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces (I used margarine)

~1 cup old-fashioned oats

~½ cup chopped pecans

For the filling:

~8 oz. cream cheese, softened

~½ cup granulated sugar

~3 large eggs

~1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin pie filling

~1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

~1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan. Lightly grease the foil. Combine the flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl and toss with a fork. Add the pieces of butter to the dry ingredients and cut it in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the oats and chopped pecans.

Reserve 1 cup of the crust mixture and set aside. Add the remaining crust mixture to the prepared baking pan and press onto the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Bake the crust alone in the oven for 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the filling.

To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth and well combined.

Once the crust has been removed from the oven, pour the filling into the pan and smooth over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture on top. Bake for 25 minutes, remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Slice and serve.