Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 36 small bars
 
Crispy gingersnap crust, rich chocolate cheesecake layer and a light pumpkin cheesecake filling, i.e. a delicious dessert just in time for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
Crust:
  • 275g (2 cups + 2 tablespoons) gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 35 cookies)
  • 85g (6 tablespoon) unsalted butter
Filling:
  • 454g (2 8-ounce packages) light cream cheese softened at room temperature
  • 371g (1¾ cup) granulated sugar
  • 165g (3 large) whole eggs
  • 16g (2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
  • 240g (1 cup) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ g (1/8 teaspoon) salt
  • 170g (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
  2. Line a 13×9 pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray, set aside
Prepare crust:
  1. Stir together gingersnap crumbs and melted butter
  2. Spread evenly into prepared pan using fingers to push down crust mixture and set aside
Prepare filling:
  1. In the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, whip cream cheese on medium high speed for several minutes until creamy and lumps are gone
  2. Add granulated sugar and combine on medium-high speed well until light and creamy
  3. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed in-between; mix in flour on low speed
  4. Add pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt and mix on medium speed until mixture is thick and creamy
  5. Now, separate 380 grams (1¾ cups) of the pumpkin cheesecake filling and set aside in a large bowl
  6. Melt chocolate chips and butter in a small saucepan over low heat; mixture will get very thick
  7. Add chocolate to the pumpkin filling that you set aside and stir thoroughly
  8. Pour chocolate batter over crust and bake for 15 minutes
  9. Remove from oven and pour remaining pumpkin cheesecake filling on top
  10. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until edges begin to separate from foil and middle bounces slightly when touched
  11. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight
  12. Remove cheesecake from pan and cut into small bars
Notes
Adapted from The Curvy Carrot
I used light cream cheese because I wanted a final product that wasn’t overly rich, but regular cream cheese would work as well
When cutting the bars, I recommend cleaning your knife with a paper towel between slices to keep from contaminating the layers with one another
Recipe by Keep It Sweet Desserts at http://www.keepitsweetdesserts.com/pumpkin-chocolate-cheesecake-bars/