Chai Latte Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out later. Lightly grease the parchment paper with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool while you prepare the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl or using a stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed. Mix until the texture is smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure no lumps remain.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage to avoid adding too much air. Stir in the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and salt. Mix until the color is uniform and the spices are well distributed.
- Pour the pumpkin filling over the pre-baked crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle. Turn off the oven and crack the door open slightly, letting the cheesecake sit inside for 10 minutes to prevent cracking.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely to room temperature on a wire rack. Once cooled, cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and the texture to firm up for clean slicing.