Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with a parchment paper sling and grease both the pan and parchment with nonstick cooking spray.

Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the melted butter and eggs and beat on medium speed until a crumbly dough forms, about 1 minute.

Bake the base: Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the dough and set it aside. Transfer the remaining dough to the prepared baking pan. Use your hands to compress the dough into the pan to form an even layer. Bake the base until the edges are lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes while making the filling.

Make the filling: Clean and dry the mixer bowl. Add the softened cream cheese, sugar, and egg and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin purée, vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and beat until fully combined, about 1 minute.

Assemble the bars: Spread the pumpkin filling evenly over the cooled base. Crumble the reserved dough into small pieces and sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling. Sprinkle evenly with the 1 remaining teaspoon of cinnamon.

Bake: Bake until the center is just slightly jiggly, 25 to 27 minutes. Allow to cool completely at room temperature, about 2 hours. Chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing into 12 or 16 bars and serving. Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.