Second Day of Holiday Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin-Spice Bars

The Hub and I have been making this cookie for 35 years, mostly him. It's his favorite, and he'll whip up a batch three or four times a year just for the heck of it, but always at Christmas. Some years we make more than one batch. I don't remember where the original recipe came from; I picked it up somewhere and over the years, it became a keeper. It fills a medium jelly roll pan, and we cut them into 1 x 2 inch bars.

Pumpkin-Spice Bars



4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 can (15-16 oz) pumpkin
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves. Mix in raisins, if using. Pour batter into greased 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inch jelly roll pan. Bake until light brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool; frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Mix 3 oz softened cream cheese, 6 tablespoons softened butter and 1 tsp vanilla. Gradually beat in 2 cups powdered sugar until smooth and of spreading consistency.