by: Kate McMillan
Cook Time
60 minutes
Prep Time
25 minutes
Refrigeration Time
6 hours
Yield
15 bars
Total Time
60 minutes
Prep Time
25 minutes
Yield
15 bars
summary
When it’s pumpkin season, we can’t stop ourselves from using it in every way possible! This pumpkin cheesecake swirl bars recipe is so delicious and the beautiful whirls and swirls are irresistible. Make sure you use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which is heavily sweetened.
ingredients
- Crust Ingredients:
- 15 full graham crackers sheets
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Filling Ingredients:
- 1 (14-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch x14-inch baking dish with aluminum foil so 2 edges are overhanging by an inch. Lightly coat the aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray.
- To make the crust, add the graham crackers to a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until they are finely ground. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the butter, brown sugar and salt. Use a spoon and then your hands to completely mix together. Pour into the prepared baking pan and firmly push into one even layer. Transfer to the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
- In one mixing bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and flour. Set aside.
- In another large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth and well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, until each is incorporated, then stir in the vanilla. Stir 1½ cups of the cream cheese mixture into the pumpkin mixture.
- Alternate scoops of the cream cheese and pumpkin fillings over the top of the crust and then drag a knife across the batter to create swirls. Transfer to the oven and bake until the edges are set and the center is just slightly jiggly, about 40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours. Cut into squares and serve.
notes
It is imperative that the cream cheese is at room temperature. Otherwise it will not properly cream.
Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream in this pumpkin cheesecake swirl bars recipe.
You must leave time to cool the bars completely and then refrigerate.
Bars can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
