It's the Great Pumpkin...

Pumpkin season is upon us. From now to Christmas, there will be pumpkin custards and brulees, pumpkin pies, pumpkin breads, pumpkin cookies... even pumpkin soups.

I figure... why fight it? Here's my first contribution: Pumpkin Pie Cookie Bars. They make up quick and have that creamy pumpkin pie-type middle.

I took them over to Hen Pecks, because she's laid up in bed after knee surgery. While we dished, her husband snatched up the goodies and went into the dark recesses of the house, where he was ghoulishly glowing by computer light. Though we couldn't make out his features in the darkness, his voice came through just fine.

"AMAZING," he said, after taking the first bite out of these delectable fall treats.

Pumpkin Pie Cookie Bars

Cookie 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

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

2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan and lay a piece of parchment paper across the pan, so that it extends beyond the pan slightly.

To make cookie layer:
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffly. Add eggs, and vanilla until beat until smooth.

Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan. I used my hands to press the dough down into the pan.

To make the pumpkin layer:
Combine all the ingredients together in a mixer bowl with a paddle attachment. Mix until it is well combined. Pour over the cookie layer and smooth out. Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake for 33-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely (about an hour).

Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into bars.