When it comes to Thanksgiving, we are pretty set with our menu . . . but as you can tell, we love our food, and we’re always open to trying new things.  Gigi, with much help from Kerah, tried this recipe, and we’re so happy to pass it along.  It was not as pumpkin-flavored as she expected, but we still enjoyed the crunchy graham cracker crust with light cream cheese layers.

Ingredients

Crust

• 3½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup butter, melted
• ¼ cup powdered sugar

 

Pumpkin Filling

• 2½ teaspoons cold water
• 2 teaspoons gelatin
• 1 – 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 – 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ¹/₈ teaspoon cloves
• ¹/₈ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1½ cups whipping cream

 

Topping

• 1 – 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1¹/₃ cups whipping cream
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Crust

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease 9×13 pan.
• In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and powdered sugar until well combined.
• Press firmly into the bottom and partway up the sides of the prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until crust is just beginning to change colors.

 

Pumpkin Filling

• Place the water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
• Add pumpkin, seasoning, and vanilla and beat again until smooth. (Gigi substituted 2¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie seasoning for the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.)
• Heat the gelatin mixture over the stove, whisking often, until the gelatin completely dissolves.
• Pour this into the pumpkin mixture and beat well.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold this into the pumpkin mixture in 3 even additions. (Be careful not to deflate the whipped cream too much.)
• Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge while you make the topping.

 

Topping

• In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
• Gradually add whipping cream. Beat until stiff peaks form.
• Spread evenly over the pumpkin filling.
• Recover with plastic wrap and chill the bars in the refrigerator until they are set. (About 4-6 hours.)
• Just before serving, sprinkle with toasted pecans and serve chilled.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessedis the man that trusteth in him.”
Psalm 34:8