Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars

I saw this recipe a month or so ago, and it immediately went on my "Must Bake Immediately!!!" list. But then I got busy and sidetracked, so I didn't get around to actually baking these bars until last weekend. And with my first bite I was cursing myself for waiting so long -- I could have been on my third or fourth batch of them by now!

These bars are pretty much everything I could ask for in a dessert. Composed of a snickerdoodle blondie layer topped with a pumpkin pie layer, then drizzled with white chocolate, they are a rich, decadent fall treat. Joe has become quite possessive of them; when I suggested taking a few in to my co-workers, he flat-out refused to part with them. These bars were also Andrew's first taste of pumpkin (he was too young last year), and he definitely enjoyed them too. In fact, his eye lit up, and he smiled and said, "Mmmm!" when I gave him a bite. I think he's going to follow in his parents' footsteps and become quite the little pumpkin lover.

Make these, immediately! Then bake another batch right afterwards, because this is a dessert that just has to be shared.

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars
source: seen on Megan's Cookin', who got it from Dozen Flours

For the snickerdoodle layer:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the pumpkin pie layer:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

For the topping:

2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the drizzle:

1 ounce white chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan and lay a piece of parchment paper across the pan, so that it extends the pan slightly.

2. To make snickerdoodle layer, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan (mixture will be thick and cookiebatter-ish).

3. In a mixer bowl (you can use the same one you used to make the snickerdoodle batter) with a paddle attachment, mix together all pumpkin pie layer ingredients until well combined. This layer will be less thick and more pourable. Pour over the snickerdoodle layer, smoothing out the top.

4. Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.

5. Bake for 33-40 minutes (maybe more depending on your oven) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely (about an hour). They will deflate a bit and remain a bit pie-like on the top layer. The bars that are closer to the edges of the pan will be more firm.

6. After the bars are completely cool, place the chopped white chocolate into a bowl or zip-lock bag and melt on low power. When it's completely melted, add the pumpkin pie spice and mix (or knead if using a zip lock bag). Use a spoon or cut a small corner off the bag and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the bars and let it cool and harden.

7. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into bars. Store in a covered container.