Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars..something different for Thanksgiving

These are a great dessert idea when you need a break from pies, and the crust can be any kind of cookie crumb that you prefer, I like a ginger nut base, but you may also try chocolate, vanilla or digestive/graham cracker.

This recipe makes one 15 x10x 2 inch dish and serves 12-24 depending on size of the bars.

Also the toppings can vary from chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, shaved chocolate or toasted coconut & English Toffee chips, also great with sour/whipped cream topping.

Crust recipe:

1 1/3 sticks butter
3 cups cookie crumbs (place cookies in a plastic bag and hit/roll with a wine bottle or rolling pin)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar.


Preheat oven 325f

In a heavy bottomed saucepan melt the butter and add the sugar to dissolve slightly, then add to the cookie crumbs and press into the ungreased ovenproof pan.
Covering the base and up the sides.
Cool in fridge.


In a large mixing bowl  whisk:
2 x 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk
1x15 ozs cooked/canned pumpkin (you made add more for a more dense flavor)
4 eggs
1 pound cream cheese(softened) you may also use low calorie
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
OR 4 tsp pumpkin spice

Pour into the prepared crust, pour gently over the back of a spoon so as not to disturb the base of the crust.

Top with chopped nuts and bake middle shelf for 55-60 mins..the middle should be slightly jiggly.

If using chocolate add this when the cheesecake is removed from oven and before cooling down.
Cool down completely and chill overnight.
Cut into bars when very cold, just before serving.
Also if topping with sour or whipped cream, add this just before serving cold, either  before cutting into bars or after cutting.


This recipe may be halved for a  10 inch pie plate, or make thinner bars by only using half the recipe for the cheesecake filling. (use the same amount of pumpkin though for a more dense flavor)

This is a much welcome change from pumpkin pies and you may substitute yams, sweet potatoes, mashed for the pumpkin and even some yellow/orange fleshed
 squashes.