Pumpkin Cheesecake Streusel Bar

Pumpkin Cheesecake 
Streusel Bar

Chunks of pecan in a buttery crust with a pumpkin cheesecake filling creates a quick and easy recipe using one of the new gluten free cake mixes that are now in the marketplace. Adapted from Betty Crocker.

1 box Betty Crocker gluten free yellow cake mix

½ cup pecans, chopped

½ cup butter, softened to room temperature

2 packages (8 ounce) cream cheese (I used low fat)

¾ cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 T. pumpkin pie mix*

2 T. whipping cream

2 eggs, beaten

Heat oven to 350˚F.  In medium bowl, stir together cake mix and pecans. With pastry blender or fork, but in butter until mixture is crmbly. Reserve one cup of this mixture for topping. In bottom of 13 x 9 inch (or slightly smaller) baking pan, press remaining mixture. Bake ten minutes.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. Pour this mixture over the warm crust. Sprinkle with the reserved topping.

Bake 35-45 minutes until center is set and when tested with a clean knife, the knife comes out clean. Cool thirty minutes, then refrigerate about 2 hours or overnight. Do not attempt to cut into bars until bars are completely chilled and have become firm**.

Makes: Approximately 24 bars.

Notes: *If you don’t have the mix, make your own by adding 2 t. cinnamon powder, ¼ t. each of ground mace, nutmeg and clove. **These are excellent with a squirt of store bought gluten free whipped cream just before serving OR make whipped cream ahead and flavor with Cointreau or Grand Marnier before serving.

For more recipes, check out my cookbook: "Delicious! The Very Best of Gluten Free and Wheat Free Cooking. It is available at: 
 

http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org

 

http://www.amazon.com/Delicious-Cooking-Collection-Celiacs-Sensitive/dp/0615305709/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282852260&sr=1-