Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Of all the pumpkin desserts in the world, I think pumpkin cheesecake is my favorite. I love this recipe because each bar is like a mini cheesecake. The base of these bars resembles a sweet, delicious, slightly crisp oatmeal cookie, and the creamy cheesecake on top is exploding with those pumpkin spice flavors we all love…cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and of course….pumpkin!

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup butter
1 cup old fashioned oats
 
2 packages cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
1 15-oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. ground ginger
5 eggs
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, and oats. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender (or two knives) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of a greased 13×9 inch pan and bake for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese for one minute on medium speed. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to beat until everything is well blended (about two minutes, give or take). Pour over the hot crust and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center is set and no longer jiggles. Cool completely, cut into bars, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

 
Enjoy!