Pumpkin Coffee Cake Bars
I tried to create a breakfast bar inspired by pumpkin muffins. It worked moderately well, but I will change a few things the next time I make these. They turned out very pie-ish, which would have been ok if that were my goal. I wanted something mildly pumpkin flavored that could be eaten by hand, similar to a muffin, but with a crunchy layers. It turned out similar to a coffee cake. Make sure to check the notes below on how I would change it next time.
Yield: 40 bars
1/3 cup sugar (change to: 1/3 cup brown sugar)
1 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
Grease a 9×13″ pan and pre-heat oven to 350°. Mix together ingredients in a small bowl until crumbly. Press flat and evenly into bottom on pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Prepare filling while baking crust.
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin (change to: 1 cup)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup yogurt (change to: 3/4 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
Mix together filling in a medium bowl. Spread evenly over crust.
1/2 cup chocolate chips (change to 1/4 cup mini-chips or omit)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (add to filling mixture instead of topping)
1/2 cup brown sugar
Mix together topping and spread evenly over top of filling. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate after 1 hour.
These were edible, but not delicious. I recommend several changes as listed above in blue. The pumpkin filling was too thick, so it was like eating mini-pies. The chocolate chips made a bittersweet topping that did not compliment the other flavors. I think that adding the walnuts to the filling will help stiffen the bars. I am also questioning adding the toping of brown sugar at the end of baking at a higher temperature to add a crispy layer.
Score: @@ Good concept, but needs an overhaul to become fantastic.
applesauceme 