Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars

(Courtesy of Taste of Home)

Ingredients:
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar, divided 
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
3/4 c. cold butter, cubed
1 c. old fashioned oats
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened, cubed
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, mix flour, 1/4 c. sugar and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly.  Stir in oats and pecans.  Reserve 1 c. for topping.

Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of a greased 9x13 baking pan.  Bake 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, spices and remaining sugar until smooth.  Beat in pumpkin and vanilla.  Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended.  Pour over warm crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean and filling is set.  Cool on a wire rack.  Serve or refrigerate, covered, within 2 hours.  Cut into bars.

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