Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

It may be pushing it a little to classify these Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars as breakfast.  There's a little bit of butter and sugar in them, but there's also nutrient dense pumpkin, oats, whole wheat flour and fat free cream cheese. I am sure that there are less grams of sugar per serving than a pop tart! 

Personally, I have a really hard time eating savory foods for breakfast.  It's just something that has developed over the years.  My typical breakfast is a low sugar, whole grain cereal, gluten free waffle or yogurt and granola. My son and husband can feast on eggs at 6:30 am but I find it just slightly unappetizing.  I also like something sweet with my strong cup of morning coffee.

I would definitely indulge in these pumpkin oatmeal breakfast bars at 6:30 am.  The crust is a combination of filling chewy oats, flour and brown sugar.  It's layered with a creamy pumpkin filling and topped with a quick and light vanilla glaze.  The glaze adds just the perfect amount of extra sweetness to tantalize the palate.  These bars can be eaten at any time of day. I personally recommend accompanying them with coffee and using a fork - they get crumbly!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Recipe by Liz Hughes

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Yield: Approximately 20 bars

Ingredients

• 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 (15 ounce can) pumpkin
• 8 ounces low fat or non-fat cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in oats. Reserve 1 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, spices and remaining sugar until smooth. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour over warm crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
3. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean and filling is set. While bars are baking, mix powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until thin enough to drizzle
4. Cool bars on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Drizzle with glaze. Serve or refrigerate, covered, within 2 hours. Cut into 2"x3" bars.