Praline Pumpkin Pie Bars (Ann Marie Wright)

By LADONMANK

Ingredients

• Crust
• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 2 1/2 cups Martha White® All-Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons butter
• Filling
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
• 1/4 cup half-and-half, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• Topping
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened

Preparation

Step 1

1. HEAT oven to 350º F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray. Combine flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl; mix well. Cut in 10 tablespoons butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture firmly in bottom and about 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes. Make filling while crust is baking.
2. BEAT sugar and 6 tablespoons butter in medium bowl, with an electric mixer at medium high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin, half-and-half, vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy.
3. POUR filling into partially baked crust. Return to oven. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until filling is set. Combine pecans, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter. Mix well. Remove bars from oven, sprinkle with pecan mixture. Bake 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack 1 hour or until completely cooled. Store in refrigerator.