Pumpkin Gooey Chess Squares

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, divided
• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package spice cake mix or 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°; position oven rack in the middle of oven; spray the bottom only of a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• 2 melt ½ cup butter in a saucepan over low heat.
• 3 in a bowl, beat the cake mix, melted butter, and 1 egg with an electric mixer set on medium speed until well blended (mixture will come together as a thick dough).
• 4 pat the dough evenly into prepared pan; set aside.
• 5 melt the remaining stick of butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
• 6 in a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and canned pumpkin with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended and smooth, scraping down the sides of bowl when needed.
• 7 add in the melted butter, remaining 3 eggs, and vanilla extract; blend until smooth.
• 8 add in the powdered sugar and pumpkin pie spice; blend until smooth.
• 9 spread pumpkin mixture over prepared crust; bake 42-45 minutes (do not overbake; bars should be slightly gooey).
• 10 transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
• 11 cut into bars/squares; cover and store in refrigerator.