Gingersnap Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

These Gingersnap Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars have a crunchy gingersnap cookie crust topped with a luscious, smooth pumpkin cheesecake filling. You’ll love these spiced bars!

In my last post, I discussed my two favorite fall flavors: apples and pumpkin, and shared a recipe for Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls, featuring apples, obviously.

So isn’t it only fair that I share a recipe featuring pumpkin next?! I think so.

This recipe I have to share with to you is a variation on the Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares from the new Baked cookbook from the wonderful Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients.

The book is gorgeous, and full of amazing recipes, as usual! Their cookbooks are among my all-time favorites, and the newest one doesn’t disappoint. Their chapter on pumpkin is everything one wants in fall – and since I had been craving pumpkin cheesecake bars, that was the easy choice for the first recipe I made.

However, I’ve also been dreaming about these pumpkin cheesecake bars with a gingersnap crust that I had last fall at a small bakery/cafe in Solana Beach.

So, naturally, I combined the two.

My oh my, it was a grand idea.

The crust gets the perfect amount of chewy vs. crunchy, the filling is soft, smooth, and pumpkin-y, and the whipped cream is the perfect light counterpart. Of course, the whipped cream is optional, but highly recommended!

These bars are super delicious, and the most wonderful fall treat. Hope you enjoy!

Gingersnap Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

 

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Author: Rachel Conners

Serves: 24 bars

Ingredients

For the Gingersnap Crust

• 10 oz gingersnap cookies, crumbed (3 cups)
• ¾ cup butter, melted
• ½ cup dark brown sugar

For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 large eggs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper and butter the parchment.
2. In a bowl, stir together the crushed gingersnap cookies, melted butter, and dark brown sugar until completely combined. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from oven and let cool completely while you prepare the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed just until it is lump free and smooth. Do not overbeat or the tops of the bars may crack. Add the sugar and beat again until well combined, about 2 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Add this mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat on medium-low speed until completely combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat until the mixture is smooth. Note: This batter is slightly looser than the average cheesecake batter.
5. Pour the mixture over the crust and bake for 23 to 30 minutes, or until the bars are set and slightly puffy (if the tops start to crack, the bars are overbaked). Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the bars to come to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.
6. Using a very sharp knife, cut the bars into 24 squares. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days. If desired, top with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients

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