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KNR, p. 282 “Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake Bars”
By now, you know that we love pumpkin in soup, smoothies, cookies, or other desserts. The flavor works well with several different spices and even complements chocolate.
This year, Sheila has been experimenting with ways to make a foolproof pumpkin bar. She tried a few recipes developed by some pretty famous people and found them to be too sweet or too complicated. She finally threw up her hands and created her own.
As always, I was the taste-tester. I might have gained a pound or two while I chomped away on the samples.
Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 5 Tablespoons cold butter
- 1 cup pecans, chopped fine
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 extra large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine flour and brown sugar.
- Cut in butter until crumbly.
- Stir in finely chopped pecans, then set aside 1 cup for topping.
- Lightly butter sides and bottom of 8-inch square baking pan.
- Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
- While the crust is baking, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Beat in the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and pour the mixture evenly over the crust.
- Sprinkle with set-aside crumb mixture.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and puffs up in the center.
- Cool on wire rack and cut into 9 bars.
Notes
May all your holiday snacks be delightfully delicious!
