Two Step Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bars Recipes

THE BEST PUMPKIN BARS I'VE EVER HAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 10×15 inch baking pan. Or line the pan with parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars (as a whole) out.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. Batter will be thick.
• Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 28-35 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The bars are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top or edges of the bars browning too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil.
• Remove the bars from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack. Cool bars completely. (After about 45 minutes of cooling, you can place the bars in the refrigerator to speed things up!)
• In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add an extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar. Spread the frosting on the cooled bars. To help "set" the frosting, refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This makes cutting easier and less messy.
• Enjoy with or without a fork, but definitely grab a napkin!
• Cover leftover bars tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you skipped the frosting, cover and store plain pumpkin bars at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

TWO-STEP WHOLE WHEAT PUMPKIN BARS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well.
• Bake in greased 9x13 baking pan for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees; cool on wire rack.

WHOLE-GRAIN PUMPKIN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square cake pan with parchment and coat lightly with cooking spray. Whisk together the pumpkin, buttermilk and egg yolk in a small bowl until smooth; set aside.
• Grind the oats in a food processor until they form a coarse meal. Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal. Add the cranberries and pulse once. Add the pumpkin mixture and pulse until the oat mixture is just moistened, 3 or 4 pulses. Turn the dough out of the processor bowl and gently knead until combined but not overworked.
• Gently press the dough into the prepared cake pan so it is about 7 inches across and 3/4 inch thick (it won't go all the way to the edges). Sprinkle the top with the turbinado sugar. Bake until the top begins to crack and is golden and firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then tip out onto a cutting board and slice into 8 scones. Transfer the scones to a cooling rack and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

PUMPKIN BARS (WHITE WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan with shortening.
• In large bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil and pumpkin with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves. Spread in pan.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours.
• In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Frost bars. Cut into 7 rows by 7 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.