Pumpkin Bars with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

I just couldn't wait any longer. I say it's officially time for a Fall inspired post. I love all the flavors of Fall. The aromatic spices, the caramel apples, the pumpkin pie and the fresh off the cob corn. One of my favorite Fall flavors is pumpkin. It's natural sweetness and moisture along with it's power packed nutrition makes it a perfect choice for countless dishes and desserts. 

I created this recipe to be a thicker bar than my banana bars because I received several comments of people saying they'd like a thicker bar. These are basically the same thickness of cake, so you can call it pumpkin cake if you'd like. I chose to make this a bit lower fat than your average pumpkin bar by using half butter and half applesauce (rather than all butter or  oil). You would never know it is halfway healthy =). I love when I can turn a Superfood into a dessert (if you top them with walnuts you can get two Superfoods between the pumpkin and walnuts). Try these bars and they are likely to become one of your new favorite fall desserts!

Pumpkin Bars
Yields about 20 bars

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup light-brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and whisked to cool slightly
1/2 cup applesauce
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
Cinnamon and whole or chopped pecans, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, set aside. In a separate large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, blend together light-brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter and applesauce until well combine. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix until well blended, then add pumpkin and mix until well blended. Add dry mixture and mix just until combine. Pour and spread mixture evenly into a buttered 13 x 9 inch baking dish and bake in preheated oven about 35 - 38 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Allow bars to cool completely (I covered the baking dish after 15 minutes of cooling to seal in moisture) then cut into bars and frost with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting (alternately you can frost bars first then cut into squares) and dust lightly with optional cinnamon and garnish with optional pecans.

Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter, softened
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, using and electric hand mixer, whip together butter and cream cheese on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 3 -4 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and mix until well blended and smooth.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Peach Crumb Bars

Peach cobbler meet sugar cookies meets crumb cake to create one delicious Peach Crumb Bar. These summer inspired dessert bars are loaded with fresh, sweetly spiced, juicy peaches and will quickly remind you of your favorite peach cobbler. Their texture is soft yet crumbly, moist (thanks to all the juice from the peaches) and slightly cake-y. I would highly recommend eating them warm because it's like peach pie or cobbler, it's just not near as good cold. These are excellent when paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream but they are also amazing all on their own. Enjoy! Oh, and you're going to want that corner piece =), it's my favorite.

Peach Crumb Bars
Yields about 24 bars


Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups peaches, peeled, pitted and diced (about 8 small peaches, use firm but ripe)
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
3 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp orange zest (optional)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup salted butter, cold and diced into cubes
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Turbinado sugar (optional)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. In a large mixing bowl, toss peaches with orange juice and optional orange zest. Sprinkle sugar mixture over peach mixture and toss to evenly coat, set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture with a fork or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream and vanilla extract. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and stir until well combine. Add in remaining 1 cup granulated sugar and stir until combine. Spread and press half of crumb mixture into an even layer in a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Toss peach mixture once more and pour over bottom crumb layer and spread peaches into an even layer (spread juices evenly too). Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over top of peaches into an even layer. Sprinkle top evenly with optional Turbinado sugar. Bake in preheated oven 45-50 minutes until golden. Serve warm with optional vanilla ice cream or allow to cool and cut into bars (Note: I prefer these bars warm but you could also serve them cold with sweetened whipped cream). Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Apple Pie Bars

Any day is a good day for apple pie, right? To me apple pie isn't just a Fall and Thanksgiving dessert, I want apple pie all through out the year. Why have such a good thing only once a year? Also, why stick with an ordinary pie? I love turning things into bar form. These are everything you get in an apple pie but in perfect, hand hold-able, individual bars. These are one of my favorite things I've blogged yet. I'm so excited with how well they turned out. Sometimes the things I make for this blog can only be titled as an experiment (an obviously I don't post them, in case you were wondering) because they end result doesn't turn out how I want it to. These however, are something to brag about =). Just like a regular apple pie these do require a bit a work but I'm telling you it is so worth it! You can serve these warm with vanilla ice cream or allow them to cool almost entirely and drizzle them with the creamy vanilla glaze (it will remind you of a toaster struedle only a thousand times better. Got a craving for apple pie? You're going to want to try these delicious Apple Pie Bars! Sweet, deliciously spiced, gooey apple filling is surrounded by a flavorful, flaky buttermilk crust then it's finished with a delectable, silky vanilla glaze, do things get much better =)? Enjoy and share!

Apple Pie Bars
Yields 12 generous bars or 24 mini bars


Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp salted butter, cold and diced into cubes
1/4 cup +2 Tbsp buttermilk, chilled
1 egg yolk


2 1/4 lbs granny smith apples (about 6 medium apples)
2 1/2 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg


1 egg white
1 1/2 Tbsp Raw Turbinado sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 recipe Vanilla Glaze (optional), recipe follows


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To prepare pie crust:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk and egg yolk to mixture and stir until mixture comes together and you are able to form a ball. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough while preparing apple filling.
To prepare apple filling:
Peel, core and dice apples into thin and small pieces. Place diced apples in a large mixing bowl. Add orange juice and 1 tsp vanilla and toss apples to evenly coat. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, granulated sugar, light-brown sugar, 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour flour mixture over apple mixture and toss to evenly coat, set aside.
To assemble pie:
Divide pie dough into 2 equal portions. Roll one portion into a 13x9 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Lift rolled dough into an ungreased 13x9 inch baking dish (the easiest way to do this is to fold the dough in half and then fold in half again, then transfer folded dough to one corner of the dish and unfold to it's original shape to cover entire baking dish). Toss apple mixture once more and pour into baking dish over pie crust. Roll remaining dough into a 13 1/2 x 9 1/2 inch rectangle and place rolled dough over apples (folding and unfolding as previously noted). In a small mixing bowl whisk egg white until foamy, brush egg white over top pie crust (you will only need about half of the egg white). In a separate small mixing bowl whisk together 1 1/2 tbsp Raw Turbinado sugar with 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over top pie crust. Bake in preheated oven 50 - 60 minutes until golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a toothpick. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares. Drizzle with optional glaze or serve with vanilla ice cream. Store bars in refrigerator in an airtight container, rewarm in microwave if desired.


Vanilla Glaze


Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp half and half (milk could be substituted)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisk until smooth. Add an additional 1/2 Tbsp half and half if you'd prefer a thinner consistency.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Smitten Kitchen in my opinion should be known as one of the greatest food blogs ever. Not only are Deb's (the Genius behind Smitten Kitchen) recipes amazing but her photos are equally amazing. To say they are drool worthy would be speaking lightly. I love how you can always tell each photo is hers, she has her own unique style. Also, she has a way with instantly selling me. I always wish I was holding in my hand, ready to blissfully dive into whatever it is she posts. The Blueberry Crumb Bars she posted looked simple yet ever so stunning. I've had them on my to do list for about a year now. Why I waited this long I can never tell you. These things are unbelievable! A dessert so good you will nearly be at a loss for words when describing it's goodness. Yet, I will attempt. 

You get a melt in your mouth, buttery and tender shortbread, layered with fresh, sweet, juicy blueberries and then it's sprinkled with more of that delicious, buttery cookie goodness (then here is where my addition came in to play), and finally it's sprinkled with one of my very favorite things, Raw sugar. So, with that said, how could these not be simply fantastic? 

I did add some vanilla extract into the recipe to amp up the flavor of the dough just a bit, I think it compliments the blueberry perfectly. The original recipe, from allrecipes.com listed you could optionally add a pinch of cinnamon, so feel free to add that as well.

I am so in love with these bars because my favorite part of a blueberry muffin is the crumb topping (as well as the blueberries) and basically that is what these are. The crumb topping of a muffin with blueberries sandwiched in the middle. So, yes indeed, these are one of the best things I've ever eaten. These should definitely hold a spot on the Food Networks "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and I should definitely be doing the spot lighting haha just joking but that would be awesome =). Enjoy these ever so dreamy Blueberry Crumb Bars! I know I did.

Blueberry Crumb Bars
Yields 9-12 bars (this recipe is half the original recipe)


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon zest
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup salted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cups fresh blueberries, at room temperature
1 1/2 Tbsp Raw Turbinado sugar


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8x8 baking dish, set aside. In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolk and vanilla until combine. Add egg mixture and cold butter cubes to flour mixture and using a fork or a pastry cutter (or even your fingertips), cut mixture together until it resembles coarse crumbs. Gently press 2/3 of the mixture evenly into prepared 8x8 dish. 
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tsp cornstarch. Stir in lemon juice then add blueberries. Toss mixture to evenly coat then pour and spread coated blueberries evenly over crust in baking dish. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over berry layer (I pressed some of the mixture together in my hands while sprinkling to make larger crumbs). Sprinkle 1 1/2 Tbsp Raw Turbinado sugar evenly over top. Bake in preheated oven for about 38 - 42 minutes until top is golden brown. Allow to cool for about 20 - 30 minutes before cutting into squares (or serve warm with vanilla ice cream, yum). Store bars in an airtight container in refrigerator (Note: I tried these cold, straight out of the refrigerator and I preferred them warm vs cold. Just a personal preference. I would say if you like cold berry pie then you would like cold bars but I like my berry pies warm so I loved these bars warm. So, with that said, when I would eat one I would heat in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds to rewarm it first).


Recipe Source: adapted from Smitten Kitchen and allrecipes.com