The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book - Camilla V. Saulsbury [179]
Beat the pumpkin, cream cheese, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add cooled gelatin mixture, beating on low speed and occasionally scraping sides of bowl with rubber spatula, until well blended.
Pour and spread cheese mixture evenly over prepared crust. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm. Use foil lining to remove uncut bars from pan to cutting board. Cut into bars. Store, loosely covered with foil or plastic wrap, in refrigerator.
MAKES 16 BARS.
PUMPKIN GOOEY CHESS SQUARES
Bye-bye, pumpkin pie—that’s what you’ll likely croon once you try these out-of-this-world chess squares. Be sure to use pure pumpkin in the filling, not pumpkin pie mix. Both come in a can, but the latter is pre-spiced and presweetened, which will lead to an overly sweet bar with the wrong consistency.
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, divided
1 (18.25-ounce) package spice or yellow cake mix
4 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or ground cinnamon)
Preheat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark-coated metal pan). Position oven rack in middle of oven. Spray the bottom only of a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (or foil-line pan; see page xxiv).
Melt ½ cup (1 stick) of the butter in a small saucepan set over low heat. Beat the cake mix, melted butter, and 1 egg in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed until well blended (mixture will come together as a thick dough). Pat the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Set aside momentarily.
Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan set over low heat. Beat the softened cream cheese and pumpkin purée in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add the melted butter, remaining eggs and vanilla extract; blend until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and pumpkin pie spice; blend until smooth.
Spread the pumpkin mixture over prepared crust. Bake for 42–45 minutes (do not overbake; bars should be slightly gooey). Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Cut into bars or squares. Cover and store in refrigerator.
MAKES 24 LARGE OR 36 SMALL BARS.
PUMPKIN PIE BARS (CAKE MIX)
This extra-easy take on everybody’s Thanksgiving favorite brings easy entertaining up to date.
1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
¼ cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
½ cup chopped pecans
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin purée
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Preheat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark-coated metal pan). Position oven rack in middle of oven. Spray a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (or foil-line pan; see page xxiv).
Reserve for ½ cup cake mix. Place remaining cake mix, oil, and 1 of the eggs in a large bowl. Blend for 1–2 minutes with an electric mixer set on low speed until well blended and crumbly; stir in the pecans. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
Place the condensed milk, pumpkin, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, remaining eggs, and ½ cup reserved cake mix in the same large bowl (no need to clean). Blend for 1–2 minutes with an electric mixer set on medium speed until well blended. Pour over crust.
Bake for 40–45 minutes or until filling is just set. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Cut into bars.
MAKES 24 LARGE OR 36 SMALL BARS.
PUMPKIN PIE BARS (COOKIE DOUGH)
My brother is something of a dessert purist, especially around the holidays. So when it comes to pumpkin pie, he eschews any “unnecessary” additions, such as cranberries, nuts, or chocolate. He applauds this handheld version of his favorite toothsome treat, in part because of its “pure” pumpkin pie flavor, but also because it is literally