I'm up to my elbows today in cream cheese and pecans. I'm making one batch of each of these perfect-for-fall cheesecake bars.

They're not new. You can find the recipe for the Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars here...

And the Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars here.

Enjoy!

My hubby is a chocoholic. For his birthday, it's always a challenge to come up with something new that is chocolatey enough for him.This year, brainstorming brought me this...

A chocolate cheesecake with Guinness, chocolate chunks and a pretzel crumb crust.

What You Need:
For the Crust:
4 cups of pretzels to crush, or approx. 3 cups crushed pretzel crumbs.
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (melted)

For the Cheesecake:
3- 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (at room temperature)
3 large eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup sour cream (at room temperature)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (6 oz.) Guinness -or similar- beer
3/4 cup (6 oz.) melted semi-sweet chocolate
3 Tbsp. flour or 2 Tbsp. corn starch
Optional: 3/4 cup chocolate chunks

For the Chocolate Ganache Swirl:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (4 oz.) semisweet chocolate

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I love cheesecake bars. I've made Strawberry-Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars, Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars, Cranberry-Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars. And now, Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars

What You Need:
For the Crust & Topping:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 tsp. salt (if using unsalted butter)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled

For the Filling:
2- 8 oz. block cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Note: I think I would like to have more filling, but my husband and children insist this is enough. If I double it, and like it, I'll report back.
** Update: I 1.5-ed the filling, and I think it was PERFECT. That used 3 blocks of cream cheese, 1 15-oz. can pumpkin, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 3 eggs, 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice... and it baked for an hour. Awesome yumminess!

Yield: 30-40 2" square bars
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It's that time of year... when I make a ridiculous chocolate dessert for my husband's birthday... This year's entry: Chocolate Cheesecake with Peanut Butter Cookie Crust.

What You Need:
Peanut Butter Crust:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter - cold
3/4 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Chocolate Cheesecake Layer:
3- 8 oz. bricks of cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 cup sour cream (at room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
3 eggs (at room temperature)
6 oz. melted chocolate (semisweet recommended)

*Yield: One 9-10" Round Cheesecake- Serves about 16-20 people.
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"Tastes like Christmas!" That's what my husband said when he took a bite of these yummy bars.

What You Need:
For the Crusts:
1 cup DARK brown sugar (or 3/4 cup brown sugar + 1/4 cup molasses)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon 
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes (chilled)

For the Filling:
2- 8 oz. block cream cheese (at room temperature)
2 cups sugar (divided)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1- 12 oz. bag of  fresh cranberries
2 Tbsp. corn starch
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Apples, caramel sauce, cheesecake... what could be better??

What You Need:
For the Crust & Topping:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 tsp. salt (if using unsalted butter)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup butter, chilled

For the Filling:
4-6 apples, thinly sliced
1 - 1 1/2 cups caramel sauce*
2- 8 oz. block cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

*Note: You can make your own caramel sauce, or you can buy a jar of caramel ice cream topping, or you can also melt about 6-8 oz. of caramel candies with 1/2 cup evaporated milk on the stove or in the microwave.

Yield: 30-40 2" square bars.
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