Sugar Cookie Crust Ingredients
¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 ½ sticks)
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups Cassava Kitchen cassava flour
½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
Pumpkin Pie Filling Ingredients
1 large can pumpkin puree
1 ½ cups light brown sugar
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup Cassava Kitchen cassava flour
3 whole eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
Streusel Topping Ingredients
⅔ cup Cassava Kitchen cassava flour
⅓ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
INSTRUCTIONS
Line a 9x12-inch baking pan with parchment paper, and lightly grease with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
To make the crust, cream together the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla, and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Meanwhile, stir together Cassava Kitchen cassava flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix just until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl down halfway through mixing. Remove the mixture from the mixer, and ensure that all the ingredients are well combined.
Lightly grease your hands with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Place the cookie dough in the bottom of the baking sheet, reserving about ½ cup of the dough to make pumpkin cookie toppings on the bars. Working with your greased hands, gently press the dough into the pan, until an even layer covers the bottom of the pan. NOTE: You may have to add a bit more butter or spray to your hands halfway through pressing the dough into the pan.
Place the pan in the freezer while you prepare the pumpkin pie filling.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make the filling, whisk together the pumpkin puree and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add the heavy cream, and whisk until combined. Add the flour, and whisk to combine. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, whisking until combined. Set aside.
To prepare the streusel topping, simply combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, and use your hands to mix together until a crumbly mixture forms. Set aside.
Finally, make the pumpkin cookie cutouts by rolling out the reserved cookie dough to about ⅛ inch thick. Using a pumpkin cookie cutter to cut out 5 pumpkins. Place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and place in the freezer.
Remove the pan with the cookie dough crust from the freezer, and place in the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating halfway through baking, until the dough is very lightly browned, and not baked all the way through. Remove the dough from the oven, and using the bottom of a flat glass, gently press the dough down removing any air pockets from the dough, and creating a more dense cookie crust. Gently pour the pumpkin pie filling over the cookie crust and return to the oven.
Bake for another 10 minutes, or until the pumpkin mixture just begins to set. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with the streusel topping. Remove the pumpkin cookies from the freezer, and arrange on top of the pumpkin pie bars as desired. Return to the oven, and bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until the mixture is set, and the streusel is golden brown.
Remove from the oven, and let cool for about 1 hour. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely, about 3 hours, before cutting. To cut, start with the short side of the pan, and cut, lengthwise into 3 strips. Working horizontally, cut into 8 equal pieces, resulting in 24 bars. ENJOY!
Note: These may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 weeks.