Pumpkin Pie Crunch (Light Version)

Cookin'Diva's Note:

My whole family loves Pumpkin Pie Crunch, which is a simple dessert that tastes like pumpkin pie with a buttery crumb topping. However, the fat and calories in the original version are deadly. In this lightened version, the fat and calories are basically cut in HALF, without much sacrafice in flavor. Nov. 2011 note - I agree with the reviewer who felt the Corn Muffin mix might be too crunchy/savory, and her advice of using HALF a regular boxed cake mix is really good advice!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated skim milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup Splenda brown sugar blend
• 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

TOPPING

• 1 (8 1/2 ounce) package Jiffy corn muffin mix (or half a boxed cake mix)
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Spray 9x13 glass pan with non-stick spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine first 6 ingredients (pumpkin through spice). Pour into pan.
3. Sprinkle boxed muffin mix on top of pumpkin. Then sprinkle with quick oats and pecans. Drizzle melted butter over all.
4. Bake 325 degrees for 50 minutes, or until edges are golden and a knife inserted in the center tests clean.
5. May serve with Lite Cool Whip.

Reviews

[Healthycookin'momma]

I had high hopes when I made this dessert, sadly I was a little disappointed. I didn't care for the jiffy corn muffin mix as a topping. The topping needed more sweetness and seemed too salty and slighlty gritty (I think from the cornmeal). The pumpkin portion of the recipe was good. If I were to make again I would use half a yellow cake mix in place of the corn muffin mix.

[Chef #1241391]

I made this before Thanksgiving to test it out. The taste and texture were good and we enjoyed it. But it did not cut into bars because it was too soft. Did I take it out of the oven too soon? After the 50 minutes I checked it and it was not done, so I left it in 10 minutes longer. It seemed to be done then. I will try it once more sometime.

[Susie D]

I made this for the holiday dessert table & will definitely be making it again in the future. It is creamy, has a nice pumpkin pie flavor, and slices into bars easily. Not one person guessed it had Jiffy cornbread mix in it. I used walnuts instead of pecans, but otherwise followed the recipe. Thank you for sharing the recipe!