Crumb-Topped Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bites

***Take my advice. Make these, put them in the refrigerator and forget about them for at least 24 hours!***

Crumb Crust

2 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. uncooked regular oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. finely chopped pecans (or walnuts) ( I used wheat germ)
3/4 c. butter, melted

Combine flour, sugar, oats, salt, and nuts in a medium bowl.
Add melted butter and combine with hands until mixture is coarse and crumbly.
For mini tarts, drop a generous teaspoon of mixture into each hole;
or cupcake-sized tarts, line a tin with foil cupcake liners and drop a generous tablespoon into each liner. Press down.
Use leftover mixture to sprinkle on tarts before baking.


Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling

1 15 oz can pumpkin
2 8 oz packages cream cheese (light works great), softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Combine pumpkin, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add eggs and seasoning and mix completely.
Spoon into prepared crust (1 Tbsp. for minis, 2 generous Tbsp. for regulars)
and sprinkle with reserved topping.

Bake at 350; for mini tarts, bake for about 15 minutes. For the regular tarts, bake closer to 20.
If you'd like the crumb topping a little darker, you can turn the broiler on for a few minutes, but you have to keep a close eye on them because they will literally burn in a few seconds.

Makes 12 regulars and 24 minis or 2 pans of each.

****After these guys cool off, pop them in the fridge and forget about them until the next day. These are infinitely better at least 24 hours after you make them. And for up to about 3 days, they only taste better and better the longer they hang out in the fridge.

Make these ahead and make your life easy!