Pumpkin Bars

Carb. per serving 11 g

Servings 25 (1 bar each)

Prep 25 minutes   Bake 12 minutes

Cool 10 minutes

• ½ cup tub-style vegetable oil spread, softened
• ½ cup packed brown sugar*
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ⅓ cup canned pumpkin
• ¼ cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 1 egg
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ of an 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
• 1 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
•   Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour a 9×9×2-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine vegetable oil spread, brown sugar, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. Beat in pumpkin and egg. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.

3. Spread dough into prepared pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Meanwhile, for frosting, in a medium bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in half of the dessert topping. Fold in remaining dessert topping. Spread over cooled pumpkin layer. If desired, sprinkle with nutmeg. Cut into bars. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

*Sugar Substitute: We do not recommend using a sugar substitute for this recipe.

Per serving: 90 cal., 4 g total fat (2 g sat. fat), 3 mg chol., 75 mg sodium, 11 g carb. (0 g fiber, 5 g sugars), 1 g pro. Exchanges: 1 carb., 0 .5 fat.