Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

 Summary: These low carb dessert bars represent the best of both worlds — part pumpkin pie and part cheesecake, so you can get both flavors in a single bite. The bars are layered with an almond flour crust, a middle cheesecake layer, and a top pumpkin layer.

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

• 2 cups almond flour (Note 1)
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons powdered erythritol sweetener (Note 2)

Filling:

• 4 (8-ounce) bricks cream cheese, room temperature (Note 3)
• 1.5 cups powdered erythritol sweetener (Note 2)
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 8 ounces canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare: Line bottom and sides of 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. Make Crust: Stir melted butter and sweetener in mixing bowl until combined, then stir in almond flour until butter is absorbed, forming dough. Transfer dough to lined baking dish, and firmly press down using hands or measuring cup to form flat, smooth crust covering entire bottom of dish.
3. Bake Crust: Bake crust for 15 minutes at 300 F. Remove crust from oven and rest for 10 minutes while filling is prepared in next step.
4. Make Cheesecake Layer: Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat cream cheese and sweetener in large bowl with electric hand mixer on low speed until well-mixed. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed until just combined. Transfer about half of mixture over crust, spreading evenly — this becomes cheesecake layer.
5. Make Pumpkin Layer: Beat remaining mixture with pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves until combined. Carefully scoop small amount of pumpkin mixture over cheesecake layer. Repeat to evenly distribute pumpkin mixture over cheesecake layer. Use rubber spatula to spread out and smooth pumpkin layer.
6. Bake Cheesecake: Bake at 350 F until cheesecake is set, about 50 minutes. Ovens vary, so frequently monitor cheesecake and remove when done (Note 4).
7. Cool & Serve: Let pumpkin cheesecake cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight (Note 5) to harden before cutting into it. Once fully chilled, cut into 24 bars and serve or save for later (Note 6).