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Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

For these bars, we wanted to get the flavor of a gingersnap crust (which can bake up unappealingly hard) using graham crackers. The simple solution was to add ground ginger to the crackers to spice them up.
Servings: 24
Author: America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 15 whole graham crackers broken into 1-inch pieces
  • 315 grams sugar ~1⅔ cup divided; ¼ cup (1¾ ounces, 50 grams) plus 1⅓ cups (9⅓ ounces, 265 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 pound cream cheese softened
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs room temperature

Pumpkin Pie Spice

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

Cook the pumpkin:

  • Combine the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a small saucepan.
  • Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, over medium heat until reduced to 1½ cups, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Let cool for 1 hour.

Prepare the oven and pan:

  • Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Make a foil sling for a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
  • Grease the aluminum foil.

Make the crust:

  • Process the graham crackers, ¼ cup sugar, and the ginger in a food processor to fine crumbs, about 15 seconds.
  • Add the melted butter and pulse until combined, about 5 pulses.
  • Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer.
  • Bake until just starting to brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
  • Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare the filling:

  • Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the cream cheese and the remaining 1⅓ cups of sugar on medium-low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and pumpkin mixture and beat until combined.
  • Increase the speed to medium; add eggs, one at a time; and beat until incorporated.

Bake the cheesecake:

  • Pour the filling over the cooled crust and spread into an even layer.
  • Bake until the edges are slightly puffed and the center is just set, 45 to 50 minutes.

Finish and serve:

  • Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 2 hours.
  • Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
  • Using the foil overhang, lift the cheesecake out of the pan.
  • Cut into 24 pieces before serving.