Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Posted by Sarah on November 14th, 2010 at 04:25pm

Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts. One really delicious way to add cheesecake to your holiday dessert menu is with Pumpkin Cheesecake. So when our new friends at Farmer’s Almanac donated this heavenly sounding Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars recipe to us, I was thrilled! This cheesecake bar recipe comes from the Farmer’s Almanac Everyday recipes book , which is filled with over 235 classic recipes to sink your teeth into. This easy to prepare dessert is sure to become a favorite of yours too. It’s a great  addition for the upcoming holiday, but can really be a tasty dessert option all year round.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Yields: 9 bars
Cook time: 55 minutes
What you’ll need:
For Crust:

• 1 package graham crackers (about 1/3 pound)
• 1/3 cup light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For Filling:

• 1 package cream cheese softened (about 8-ounces)
• 2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
To make crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9-inch square pan.
3. Break the crackers into a food processor. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, and process to fine meal.
4. Add melted butter and process again. Press the crust into the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides.
5. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

To make filling:

1. In a large bowl and with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese, brown sugar, egg, and egg yolk.
2. Add the vanilla and stir to blend. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until smooth.
3. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 45 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.
5. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before slicing.