Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust

I wish I could take all the credit for these awesome bars, but I can’t. They were all my mom’s doing.

I visited my parents over the weekend and in typical fashion, my mom made way too much good food. Everything was delicious, from the pot roast to the green beans sauteed with bacon. But my favorite was the pumpkin cheesecake bars. I took one bite and demanded she send me the recipe – then I went home and bugged her until she did, so now I can share the recipe with you!

The gingersnap crust is really what makes these bars extraordinary. The smooth, creamy cheesecake with a hint of pumpkin is the perfect compliment to the spicy bite of the gingersnaps. They would be a fantastic alternative to pumpkin pie for the holidays or a really special Halloween treat!

These pumpkin cheesecake bars are so good, it’s scary.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust

Adapted from Kicked Up Cookie Recipes
Makes about 24 bars

Ingredients

2 cups finely crushed gingersnaps (about 30 cookies)
1/4 cup salted butter, melted

1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 13×9 inch pan.

Combine crushed gingersnaps and melted butter in a small bowl. Press mixture into bottom of the prepared baking pan. Even out with the flat bottom of a glass, if needed.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes or until crust is firm. Set aside to cool.

While the crust is cooling, stir together pumpkin, flour, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl.

In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate completely after each addition.

Stir 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese batter into the pumpkin mixture until smooth. Pour the remaining cream cheese batter over cooled crust.

Spoon the pumpkin batter over top of cream cheese batter and using a butter knife, gently spread evenly over the cheesecake mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until center is set. Cool at room temperature for about an hour, then chill in the refrigerator before cutting into bars.