Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

2 cups finely crushed Gingersnaps (I like "Anna's Ginger Thins)

1/4 c. butter, melted

1/3 c. canned pumpkin

1 Tbs. flour

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

3-8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan and set aside. For the crust, combine gingersnaps and butter in a small bowl. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes and then allow to cool.

For pumpkin batter, in a medium bowl stir together pumpkin, flour, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

For cream cheese batter, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer (I used my KitchenAid) on medium to high speed until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until combined. Add eggs and mix on low speed just until combined. Stir 1/3 of the cream cheese batter into the pumpkin batter and stir until smooth. Pour remaining batter over the crust and spread evenly. Place large spoonfuls of the pumpkin batter randomly over the cream cheese batter. Using the tip of a table knife, gently swirl the two batters together.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 325 degrees or until the center in just set. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill for 4-24 hours before cutting into squares for serving.

*Recipe from "Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Cookies." And a big thank you to Betsy for the giving me that fabulous cookbook for my birthday last year! You know me well.