Fast and Easy Pumpkin Bars with Nestle Toll House Rolled and Ready Cookie Dough

Thanks to Nestle Toll House for sponsoring today's discussion about easy cookies and holiday treats. All my opinions and experiences with the Nestle Toll House Rolled and Ready Cookie Dough Sheets are my own. #CookieDoughSheets #NestleTollHouse

My husband's favorite holiday treats are pumpkin rolls. Out of a desire to simplify things around this busy time of year, and my own unnatural fear of creating a perfect roll, I distracted him with the simpler pumpkin bar.

Luckily my powers of distraction worked. Now there is a standing order for making these sweet and creamy bars every year. But, this year, while browsing the refrigerated cookie dough aisle, I spotted a way to even make easy bars easier.

Nestle Toll House Rolled and Ready Cookie Dough, in Gingerbread sheets.

Nestle Toll House actually makes Sugar Cookie and Chocolate Cookie Dough Sheets as well. I haven't found those yet, but keep your eyes peeled for those in your own stores this season.

Now, you could take these straight from the package and let the kids go nuts with cookie cutters, but they make a brilliant cookie crust for bar cookies.

Each package contains 2 sheets of Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough ready to go. I dusted my work space with flour then rolled mine a little longer so it would fit in a 9" x 13" casserole dish.

I rolled it around my rolling pin to transfer it into the baking dish, and then pushed any cracks back together with my fingers.

This pumpkin filling recipe is a classic. It takes room temperature cream cheese, Libby's pumpkin as well as spices, sugar and eggs. I beat it till smooth and creamy in my stand mixer. Then poured it over the top of my cookie crust.

I let this bake for about 50 minutes, but while I waited I cut out some small gingerbread men to serve with my bars. I love that they baked up easily and the cookies didn't spread or distort at all.

This would be an easy and fast way to get kids into the kitchen to help cut-out and decorate cookies for the holidays without destroying a busy kitchen.

Once my bars had baked, I refrigerated them for an hour so they could set up. This makes slicing so easy. Then I topped with fresh whipped cream and one of those gingerbread men for serving.

Fast and Easy Pumpkin Bars

You Will Need:

• 1 sheet of Nestle Toll House Rolled and Ready Cookie Dough - Gingerbread
• 1 (8oz.) package of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 c. Libby's Pumpkin
• 1/3 c. plain greek yogurt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Whipping cream for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Start by rolling out the Nestle Toll House Rolled and Ready Gingerbread Cookie Dough to fit your 9" x 13" baking dish. Roll the dough sheet over the rolling pin to transfer it to the dish. Prebake the cookie crust for 5 minutes.

While the crust is baking, cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Then add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. Then beat in the pumpkin, Greek yogurt, spices and vanilla extract. Pour over the hot crust and smooth the top.

Turn down the oven to 325 degrees and bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes. Cover the top loosely with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes if you notice they are becoming too brown. The center of the pan should be set and no longer jiggle. 

Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 hour. Then wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve topped with fresh whipped cream and a cut-out gingerbread man... since you have an extra sheet of gingerbread cookie dough!

Enjoy!

You can find out how to get the most of your Holiday Baking with Nestle Toll House Rolled and Ready Cookie Dough with more great recipe ideas on the Nestle site.

Happy Baking!