Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

(from kjt’s recipe box)

Better cold, but lack flavor

Source: Cooking Light, Fall 2007

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves 12 people

Ingredients

  • Crust:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (6 3/4 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 8 teaspoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
  • Cooking spray
  • Filling:
  • 1 1/4 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 (8-ounce) package fat-free cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (8-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup egg substitute
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 large egg
  • Remaining ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 teaspoons water

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.

  2. To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add flour to pan; cook 5 minutes or until light brown, stirring often. Remove pan from heat. Transfer flour to a bowl; cool completely.

  3. Combine cooled flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until combined. Add chilled butter; pulse until mixture resembles fine meal.

  4. Press 1 cup of flour mixture evenly into the bottom of a 13 × 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; reserve the remaining flour mixture. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.

  5. To prepare filling, spread pumpkin in an even layer on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes.

  6. Combine granulated sugar, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, and cream cheeses in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth. Scrape pumpkin into bowl using a rubber spatula. Add egg substitute, cinnamon, vanilla, allspice, and egg; beat until smooth. Scrape batter into baked crust.

  7. Combine reserved flour mixture and pecans in a small bowl; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons water. Squeeze handfuls of topping to form large pieces. Crumble over filling. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until filling is firmly set. Remove from heat; cool in pan on wire rack to room temperature. Cut into 12 portions. Serve at room temperature.

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