Pumpkin Blondie Bars

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup sour cream, at room

temperature

2 ½ cups PLUS 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided use

2 tablespoons granulated

sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract,

divided use

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt,

divided use

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 cup unsalted butter, melted,

plus more for the pan

1 ½ cups packed light brown

sugar

1 egg

1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened

pumpkin puree

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang.

Place the cream cheese in a microwave-safe mixing bowl and microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring after each burst until smooth but not hot. Whisk in the sour cream, 2 tablespoons of the flour, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and ½ teaspoon of the salt until smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 ½ cups flour, pumpkin pie spice and the remaining teaspoon of salt until well combined.

In a separate large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth, then whisk in the egg and remaining vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then whisk in pumpkin puree and scrape down sides again. Whisk in the flour mixture until no streaks remain.

Reserving about ½ cup of the blondie batter, spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Spread the cream cheese topping on top, leaving a ½inch border. Scatter dollops of the reserved blondie batter on top of the cream cheese mixture; then use a chopstick, butter knife or skewer to swirl the batter and cream cheese layers together. Be careful not to overmix — the idea is to get pretty swirls of the two without combining them too much.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out with just a few crumbs, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan, then cut into bars and serve.

Makes 16 servings.