Pumpkin pecan pie gingerbread bars

This is one of the desserts i made for thanksgiving….   it sounded good… it looked good in the recipe… but the ingredients.. oy the ingredients… I’ve never used molasses before.  didn’t even know where to find it in the grocery store. had to text my bff to find out!  and the smell of it… oy….  i made it and stuck it in the oven hoping for the best!  there was A LOT going on!   surprisingly these were really good.. they grew on us!  kind of like a pumpkin pecan pie with gingerbread crust… so good!

 

Pumpkin pecan pie gingerbread bars

adapted from culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody

For the crust:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup molasses
1 tsp. ground ginger

For the filling:
6 large eggs
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups pecan halves
1/3 cup white chocolate chips (as a garnish)

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with foil.

For the crust:
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment cream butter and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, five minutes.
Add the molasses and ginger and beat until fully combined.

Add flour and salt and mix until combined but crumbly. Don’t worry that it’s crumbly it will come together when you press it into the pan and it bakes.
Press dough into the bottom of a prepared pan; bake until golden, 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling with about 5 minutes left to bake.

For the filling:
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined.
Mix in pumpkin, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt until combined.
Fold in pecans and pour over hot crust.
Bake bars until filling is just set, about 45 minutes.
If using white chocolate chips, remove from oven at 40 minutes, sprinkle chips and put back in for another 5 minutes.
Cool bars to room temperature and remove foil before cutting.
They will have a pie consistency so the filling is a little soft.