Social Kitchen

Is it me or did 2012 go by faster than a normal year?  How are we already less than 2 weeks away from Thanksgiving?!  Usually at this time, I have my Thanksgiving menus in place, have tried out the pies I’m planning on making, and am planning my holiday cookie schedule.  Instead, I haven’t even cracked open a can of pumpkin yet!

When I did finally realize that my favorite season was just passing me by, I decided to make these pumpkin bars.  In fact, I was so excited to get my fall baking started more than a month late that when I reached for the spices, instead of the ginger, I used some garlic.  Let’s just say that the situation wasn’t good.  I clearly have lost my fall baking mojo.

This is what happens when the whole year just passes you by, when you realize that it’s already the middle of November and you have so much to catch up on!  I hope you haven’t made the same mistake as me.  In more ways than one.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Blondies

Most pumpkin bars or blondies are cakey, which is delicious, but shouldn’t have a “bar” name.  These, though, are not.  They’re dense and chewy and a bar.  There we go.  And, fine, you’re right.  I have made almost the same thing before.  With almost the same name.  But pumpkin with cheesecake!  Can you blame me?

Blondies (adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)

2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)

Cheesecake Topping (from Cookie Madness)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt; set aside.

3. In another bowl, make cheesecake topping by mixing all of the ingredients together thoroughly.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and both sugars until completely smooth and no lumps remain. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk to incorporate, making sure the egg has been completely mixed in. Add the pumpkin and again whisk to fully incorporate. Add the flour mixture to the batter and fold the mixtur until combined and no pockets of flour remain. Dollop with cheesecake topping and using a butter knife, swirl the cheesecake topping into the pumpkin blondie mixture.

5. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

This entry was posted on November 10, 2012 at 10:10 am and is filed under Uncategorized.