Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

I'll admit it: this combination simultaneously intrigued and scared me.  I mean, I thought it could be tasty, but the back of my mind told me that pumpkin and peanut butter just didn't belong together.  But I ignore that little voice in my mind and went with it for these bars.  They are soft, moist, chewy and nutty with sweetness and spice.  Neither the pumpkin or the peanut butter overpowers the other, but compliment each other, making and excellent duo paired with the oats.  Dave and I both enjoyed them, as did the ladies as work when a took a few in to share at a training.  What can I say?  I'm a believer in the pumpkin/peanut butter combo.

The primary reason that I stifled the voice in the back of my mind warning be to back away from these flavors is that the recipe comes from Averie at Averie Cooks.  She hasn't steered me wrong yet, so I had to give this recipe a whirl.  One bowl, a spatula and a whisk is all you need, plus some tasty ingredients, and pretty soon you'll be enjoying these thick bars with tons of flavor perfect for fall.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients

2 cups oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk together oats, brown sugar, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon.

Stir in pumpkin puree, peanut butter and vanilla until combined.

Line a 8 x 8 inch pan with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Transfer batter to pan and press to an even layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Note: The bars will be soft from the pumpkin, so if you prefer a slightly underdone bar, you might want to cook these a minute or two longer than you normally would so they don't end up gooey.

Remove from oven and cool in pan on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes before removing from pan, using foil as handles.  Place on wire rack to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Makes 16 bars.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

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