Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are the perfect combo of cheesecake and pumpkin pie.On Wednesday I shared with you an activity and dinner I was in charge of at church. It was for our women’s organization and it was our kick off to the holiday season. It was a lovely evening with a delicious dinner and program. You can read more about Christmas Jar program here. The evening also included dinner. For dessert we served these delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. They begin with a crunchy nutty layer on the botton, then a pumpkin cheesecake layer and then a nice smooth sour cream layer and then topped with crunchy, nutty topping. It is the perfect combination of pumpkin pie and cheesecake The yummy pumpkin cheesecake layer is sandwiched in between two nutty, crunch layers. The dessert was a big success and there were lots of requests for the recipe. We also made a nut free version, just leaving out the pecans, for anyone with a nut allergy and it worked just fine. So if you have pie fans and cheesecake fans this Thanksgiving, give pumpkin cheesecake bars a try and make everyone happy! Pumpkin Cheescake Bars Print Prep time 20 mins Cook time 40 mins Total time 1 hour Author: Leigh Anne Wilkes Recipe type: Dessert Serves: 15 servings Ingredients Crust 1 cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup packed light brown sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) chilled butter, diced 1 cup pecan halves (about 4 ounces) ¾ cup old-fashioned or quick rolled oats Filling: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature 1½ cups canned pure pumpkin (a little less than a full 15-ounce can) 1 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground ginger Topping: 2 cups sour cream 4 tablespoons sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Instructions Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9X13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. Blend the flour, brown sugar, salt, and butter by pulsing (in a blender or food processor) until the texture is like coarse meal. Add the pecans and pulse until the nuts are chipped. Add the oats, and again pulse until the mixture is moistened by not clumping. Press about 3 cups of the crumbs onto the bottom of the prepared 9X13-inch pan. Transfer the remaining crumbs to the lined baking sheet. Bake the crumbs until golden, stirring once, about 8-10 minutes. Cool crumbs. While they cool, bake the crust until golden, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while preparing filling. Keep the oven turned on. For filling, blend all the ingredients in the same blender or food processor (no need to clean it in between) until smooth. Spread the filling over the warm crust and bake until it is slightly firm to the touch and the edges are just slightly risen, about 18-20 minutes. Keep that oven on! For the topping, whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl. Spread the topping evenly over the hot, baked filling. Bake until the topping sets and bubbles at the edges, about 5-7 minutes. Cool the bars completely in the pan set on a cooling rack. Once cooled, sprinkle the golden crumbs over the topping and gently press them into the topping. Cover the bars and chill until cold, about 2 hours. Cut into squares and serve. 3.5.3208 Recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe Author information Leigh Anne Hi – I’m Leigh Anne! I have been a homebased mom for 30 years since my first baby boy was born! I love working with women and helping to inspire them to achieve their goals and dreams while still maintaining motherhood and family as their number one priority. I blog about everything I enjoy – creating treats and meals in my kitchen, spending time in my garden, entertaining and party planning, reading, self improvement and tips and ideas on style and fashion. | Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest | Continue reading Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. This post is from your homebased mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne to let us know. Enjoy the posts.