Pumpkin Dessert Bars

Gingersnap Crust:
3 cups gingersnap crumbs
1/3 cup light brown sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grind 3 cups of broken gingersnaps into fine crumbs. Add extra gingersnaps and pulse again until you have 3 cups of crumbs. If you aren't using a processor, place ginger snaps in a zip-lock back and roll a rolling pin back and forth until they are crumbs. Add light brown sugar and melted butter to the 3 cups of gingersnap crumbs. Whisk or stir with fork to combine. Line a 9" X 13" baking dish with parchment or foil. Dump the gingersnap crumb mixture into the lined-dish. Press into the pan.

Cheesecake Layer:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat softened cream cheese in the bowl with electric mixer. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape the mixing bowl with a spatula, then beat in the eggs and salt until smooth. Spread this layer evenly over cooled crumb crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until firm. Cool completely before adding next layer.

Pumpkin Layer:
1 cup hot heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1 small package unflavored gelatin
15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat 1 cup heavy cream until almost boiling. Quickly whisk in the sugar and unflavored gelatin, until smooth. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt. Pour  pumpkin mixture over the cheesecake and place in the fridge. Cool until set. Once the pumpkin layer is firm to the touch, lift bars out of the pan by the edges of paper. Cut into squares and top each bar with a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip. Lightly sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

This recipe is shared October 30-November 3, 2017 
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