Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven warms up, prepare an 8-inch square baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. This ensures your bars come out easily without sticking.
In a bowl of an electric mixer, combine 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1 cup of pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste. Mix this well for a few minutes until everything is combined and creamy.
In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and the remaining teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. This will be used to sprinkle over the bars for that churro-like topping.
Open the package of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. Take four rolls and lay them flat at the bottom of your prepared pan, pressing the seams together to create a dough base.
Sprinkle the top of the dough base generously with half of the pumpkin pie sugar mixture you prepared earlier.
Pour the creamy cheesecake mixture over the crescent roll base. Spread it evenly to ensure every bite is filled with delicious cheesecake.
Take the remaining crescent rolls and flatten them out, pressing them into another square to cover the top of the cheesecake mixture, again sealing the seams well.
Sprinkle the remaining pumpkin pie spice sugar mixture over the top layer of dough, ensuring it's well coated for that sweet, spiced finish.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Keep an eye on it; you want the top to be golden brown and the cheesecake filling set. It should look firm but slightly jiggle in the middle.
Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool for at least one hour. This cooling time helps the cheesecake to set up properly.
