Pumpkin Caramel Streusel Bars - Gina's Gourmet

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup gingersnap cookies, crushed
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted
• Cream Cheese Mixture
• 2 packages cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup Gina's Gourmet Pumpkin Spread

Streusel Ingredients:

• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ cup cooking oats
• ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ cup butter, softened (not melted)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 jar of caramel sauce 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 8x8 pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the crust ingredients and mix until dough forms. Press firmly into the bottom of the 8x8 pan.  In another bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add in eggs one at a time, and beat until combined. Remove 1 and ½ cups of mixture and pour on top of prepared crust.

Add ½ cup of Gina's Gourmet Pumpkin Spread to the remaining cheesecake mixture and stir until completely combined. Careful not to combine the two layers, pour the pumpkin layer on top of the plain cheesecake layer.

In same bowl you used for the crust, stir together brown sugar, flour, cooking oats, and pumpkin pie spice. Add in butter and vanilla and mix together until well combined. Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over pumpkin cheesecake layer.

Place in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes or until bars have set. Allow cooling for about an hour and then place in fridge for 1-2 hours. Top each bar with caramel topping.