Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Streusel
Description
A walnut streusel topping covers these creamy pumpkin cheesecake bars that you can bake and refrigerate ahead of a large gathering.
Ingredients
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
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1 cup butter, softened
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
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1 cup pumpkin puree
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2/3 cup white sugar
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2 eggs
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1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
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1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 11x15-inch baking pan with aluminum foil.
2
Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar in a bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or 2 forks until crust mixture is crumbly. Press 2/3 of the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Reserve remainder for the streusel topping.
3
Bake crust in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool, about 10 minutes.
4
Combine cream cheese, pumpkin puree, and white sugar in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir vanilla and pumpkin pie spice into the filling mixture. Pour over the cooled crust.
5
Mix reserved crust mixture and walnuts together in a small bowl make streusel topping. Sprinkle streusel topping over the filling.
6
Bake in the preheated oven until filling is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Cut into bars.