2cupsnilla wafer crumbsabout 60 cookie wafers or about half a bag from an 11 ounce box of wafers
⅓cupcocoa powder
⅓cuppowdered sugar
½cupbuttermelted
3, 8ounce packagescream cheesesoftened
1, 14ouncecan sweetened condensed milk
3eggs
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
115 ounce canpumpkin pureenot pumpkin pie filling
1teaspoonpumpkin pie spice
Instructions
Preheat Oven and Prepare Crust
Preheat oven to 350° F
Combine nilla wafer crumbs with cocoa, powdered sugar and melted butter and press firmly into a 13” x 9” baking pan.
Blend the Filling
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. In a glass measuring cup, combine sweetened condensed milk, eggs and vanilla. Gradually pour contents of the measuring cup into the mixing bowl with the cream cheese and stir gently to blend.
Pour half the cream cheese batter over the vanilla wafer crumb crust in the pan and set aside.
To the remaining cream cheese batter in the mixing bowl, add the can of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice and stir well, a whisk works great to combine everything.
Swirl the Batter
Spoon the pumpkin batter on top of the first layer of batter in the pan. Drop the pumpkin batter by spoonfuls on top of the first layer. Use a table knife to swirl through each section of pumpkin batter. Gently combine it by twisting and turning the knife through the first layer of batter to create a marble effect.
Bake, Chill and Serve
Bake for 45 minutes or until set.
Cool, then chill in the refrigerator.
Cut into bars and serve.
Notes
Reminder, there is a big difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. Store-bought, canned pumpkin pie filling includes spices and sugar. Store-bought, canned pumpkin puree is just that, pure pumpkin. It's perfect in this dessert recipe for cheesecake bars, and also good when you make Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce for dinner.