Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Continuing with Pumpkin-licious recipes this week, I tested out a recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. They were a hit at the work party I brought them to. Delicious! Im tempted to make another pan all for myself!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Adapted from Eat, Live, Run

Ingredients:
2 cups pumpkin (or one 15 oz can)
3 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp half and half (cream, or whole milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
2, blocks of cream cheese, softened
Whipped cream (for topping---optional)

For the graham cracker crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Mix graham crackers, melted butter and sugar to create crust. Combine until moistened, and press into a 9x13 pan, pressing slightly up the sides of the pan.
Bake for 5 minutes, remove and reduce oven temp to 325.
Mix pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream and vanilla in a large bowl.
In your mixer, beat together cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, then slowly add in pumpkin mixture.
Mix until combined and smooth.
Pour over prepared crust and bake for 50 minutes. Let cool completely.  Cut into squares. Pipe whipped cream on top of each square.

Enjoy!