I made my first batch of pumpkin cheesecake bars yesterday for coffee hour
at the church today. Apparently the first big rainstorm of the year made
folks hungry because a 9 by 13 pan of the bars, a full 9 by 13 pan of
Barb's Brownies, and two loaf pans of Felice's applesauce "cake" got
reduced to crumbs with alacrity.

My friend Susan-The-Diva tends to regard pumpkin as a ginger delivery
vehicle. I am glad the plates I chose meant there was a row of pumpkin
bars still in the kitchen, because she got to do ginger quality control
after everyone else had cleared the "outside" supply out.

I came up with these inspired by an allrecipes recipe when I was looking
for pumpkin cakes and bars last fall. I decided to use the
melted-butter crust from my lemon bars with the brown sugar specified
in the original to save myself some effort. They have been pretty
popular and are easy to put together. (Just remember to soften up your
cream cheese.)

If you have a favorite pumpkin bread/cake/cookie bar recipe,
please share it. (I'm actually in the market for a good dairy-free
pumpkin bread.)

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS

note: I have a 9 by 13 springform pan and it is the bomb for layered
bars like this. If you don't, line your 9 by 13 pan with a foil "cradle"
and grease it. Obviously you can halve this and use an 8 by 8 instead.

350 oven

CRUST:

2 cups all purpose flour
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar (you can use either light or dark)
Pinch salt
Optional: ginger (either good powdered or fresh grated - I used Penzey's
powdered), about 1 tablespoon or to taste - or cinnamon

Melt the butter in a medium bowl or 4 cup Pyrex. Add the sugar and salt
and mix. Add the flour (and ginger) and fold in just until it is
combined. Press out flat in your greased pan and prick all over with a
fork. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

FILLING:

1 14 oz can pumpkin, or equivalent cooked
16 oz cream cheese, softened (that's two bricks for my fellow Americans)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
Spices to your taste - original recipe had cinnamon and nutmeg, I used
Penzey's Cake or Baking Spice last year, this time I put at least a
tablespoon of powdered ginger in (probably closer to 2 - I tasted and
added more).

I used my Kitchen Aid with the paddle to cream the cheese, add the eggs
and sugar, then the vanilla, pumpkin, and spices. Then I let the mixer
run for a couple of minutes to blend. If you have a hand mixer or a good
strong arm and a large bowl, you can use them instead. It should be
smooth and orange (no lumps/streaks of white).

Pour the cheese-pumpkin mixture over the parbaked crust and put it back in
the oven for 30-35 minutes.

To prevent cracking, take a thin spatula or knife and go around the edges
after the pan has been out of the oven for about 10 minutes. Cool
completely before cutting into small bars (1" square or 1 by 2) - should
be stored in the fridge or a cold larder.

-- Charlotte
--

On Oct 24, 3:00*pm, (Charlotte L. Blackmer)
wrote:
> I made my first batch of pumpkin cheesecake bars yesterday for coffee hour
> at the church today....snip
Thank you for sharing as I now have your recipe printed and will make
it today. Perfect timing because this is the day I begin "testing"
for all of the things I will be making for the family boxes that we
put together for giving to others. The three bakers (of three
generations) make a varitey of things to put together rather large
(18x24") boxes, meeting (two hours away from me) on Christmas Eve Day
to assemble boxes by the dozen, which will then be transported to the
individual recipients by the three of us for their own Christmas Day
celebrations.
Again, thank you, Picky.

On Oct 24, 3:49*pm, JeanineAlyse > wrote:
> On Oct 24, 3:00*pm, (Charlotte L. Blackmer)
> wrote:> I made my first batch of pumpkin cheesecake bars yesterday for coffee hour
> > at the church today....snip
>
> Thank you for sharing as I now have your recipe printed and will make
> it today....snip
Everyone I've shared this make with has asked for seconds and thirds.
Really good and I certainly will make again!
Once again, thank you, Picky.