Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups quick oats
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed-light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups canned pureed pumpkin
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk or half and half
• Sweetened whipped cream and cinnamon, for serving, optional

Directions

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, oats, salt and baking soda for 30 seconds. Stir in 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar, mixing until the sugar is evenly distributed and the lumps are gone. Mix the melted butter with the vanilla, pour it in, and use a spoon to work everything together until the crumbs are evenly dampened. Lightly press half of the crumbs into a greased 8 by 8-inch baking dish. If you only have a 9 by 9-inch dish, that works too; just shorten the baking time slightly as needed. Bake for 15 minutes.
2. While the crust bakes, whisk the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla, and stir until smooth. Mix in the pumpkin, then stir in the milk.
3. Pour the pumpkin filling over the baked cookie layer and put the pan back in the oven for 15 minutes. Take it out, then scatter the reserved crumb mixture over the surface, crumbling it into small pieces as you go.
4. Move the oven rack nearer to the top-center of the oven, a few levels down rather than directly underneath it. Return the pan to the oven and bake about 20 – 25 minutes longer, until the topping is golden and the middle has only a slight jiggle.
5. Take the pan out of the oven and cool it at room temperature for 1 hour, then place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour longer; or enjoy it warm from the oven as a crumble with ice cream. Slice into squares, and add sweetened whipped cream and a little cinnamon on top if desired.