Pumpkin Nutella Bars with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm loving that it's pumpkin everything season! And it's feeling a little more like fall outside too. Perfection. This tasty pumpkin treat is a Pinterest find. Actually, I saw that the brother had pinned it, so I made these for him because I'm a great sister. Most of the time. The bars are nice and moist. Have great flavor. And while they're not super healthy, my version did cut out 1 cup of oil, 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of powdered sugar, and 1/2 stick of butter. And I don't feel like they are lacking on sweetness at all. Next time around, I would probably take out more of the pumpkin batter before mixing in the Nutella (I've adjusted the directions below). Then, they might actually come out "swirled." 

Pumpkin Nutella Bars

Inspiration from The Gunny Sack

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups pureed pumpkin

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 cups AP flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup sugar

1 cup Nutella

• Preheat the oven to 350*F and prepare a jelly roll pan (16x12x1) with nonstick spray. 
• In a large mixing bowl/stand mixer, beat together the eggs, pumpkin and applesauce. 
• Add all the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
• Pour half the pumpkin batter into your prepared pan.
• Mix the Nutella in with the remaining batter.
• Drop spoonfuls of the Nutella mixture over the pumpkin batter. 
• Gently swirl with a knife.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

• In a large mixing bowl/stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
• Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until smooth.
• Mix in cinnamon and vanilla.

I went ahead and put my frosting on with the bars were still warm. I feel like it makes them a little more moist. Also, I had just worked for 13 hours and didn't feel like staying awake for them to cool down… Enjoy!