Hello friends, it has been a super busy weekend and I have lots of catching up and sharing to do on here! I figured I’d start with dessert since it’s my favorite. This is the third year I’ve done pumpkin cheesecake, but the first time I made it into bars. I like the bars because the portion is smaller and then you can have more than one dessert! Regular cheesecake slices are just too thick and this was way easier to serve. I loved it and plan to keep it around!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
yield 30-36 bars
- 1-1 1/4 cup crushed whole wheat graham cracker crumbs
- 2-3 tbs pumpkin butter
- 2 8oz packages fat free cream cheese, softened
- 2 8oz packages reduced fat cream cheese, softened
- 3 whole eggs
- 3 egg whites
- 1 15oz can pumpkin
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tbs sugar free maple syrup
- 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/3 cup Splenda
- 2 tbs brandy (can omit)
- 2-3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350. Combine graham cracker crumbs and pumpkin butter (I used my hands–it’s fun!) and press into a sprayed 9×13 baking dish.
- Bake for 8-10 min until set, remove and cool. Drop oven to 300.
- Meanwhile, beat cream, then gradually beat in sugars, Splenda, extracts and syrup until smooth.
- Beat eggs in one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, Brandy, flour, and pumpkin pie spice, then gradually add mixture to cream cheese mixture until just combined.
- Pour over prepared and cooled crust and bake for 60-80 minutes (if your oven is like mine, I suggest turning it around half way through), until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool for one hour, then transfer to the refrigerator and cool at least 8 hours.
- Cut, serve and enjoy!
