Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups crushed gingersnap crumbs
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
• caramel sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a 8″x8″ glass pan with foil, be sure to cover the sides, you are going to use this to lift the cheesecake out of the pan.
3. Combine the melted butter and gingersnap crumbs and press into the bottom of the pan. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. In a bowl beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar, sour cream, vanilla, eggs, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Beat until smooth and creamy. Note: if you end up with lumps you can transfer the mix to a food processor and pulse a couple of times until smooth.
5. Pour mixture onto gingersnap crust.
6. In another bowl combine flour and brown sugar. Using a pastry cutter cut cold butter into the mixture until crumbly.
7. Sprinkle mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until the center is set. If a knife inserted comes out mostly clean you are good to go.
8. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for about 40 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled through, about 2 hours.
9. Cut, drizzle with caramel sauce and serve.