Pumpkin Spice Bars

Well it is feeling like fall here finally. The days have turned cool and damp and there is even a chance of snow on Friday. Not sure that I am ready for that yet, but we will see what comes of it.
With this cooler weather comes my increased need to bake and cook. My favorite things to bake this time of year is anything that contains pumpkin in the recipe: breads, muffins, cookies, pies, soups, you name it. Today was Pumpkin Spice Bars. These are yummy little gems of goodness. By the time they are done cooking your house will smell wonderful and they taste even better. Taking a bite of them is like getting a bit of only the filling in a pumpkin pie, which in my opinion is the best part!
Now this original recipe was not of my creation, but I have changed it over time and think that it is even better than the original. Not to mention, healthier than the original.

Pumpkin Spice Bars

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 15 oz can pure pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup apple butter (this is a replacement for oil, if you don't have apple butter you can trade out for oil but will not be as moist)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1) Preheat oven to 350. Mix together flour, baking powder, spice and baking soda. With a mixer beat sugar, pumpkin, eggs and apple butter until smooth. Gradually mix in flour mixture until well combined. Stir in walnuts.

2) Grease a jelly roll pan or 15x10x1 baking pan. Spread the batter in the pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

3) Cool in the pan and once cool you can top with a thinned cream cheese frosting. To thin the cream cheese frosting, if store bought warm in the microwave. If you are making the frosting, thin a small amount with the addition of milk until it is pourable.

The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the bars to cool off before frosting and diving right in!