Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for crust)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This makes it easy to lift the bars out once they have cooled.
- 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 into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool slightly while you make the filling.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in the vanilla extract. Be careful not to overmix, as this can introduce too much air into the batter.
- Remove about 1 cup of the plain cheesecake batter and set it aside. To the remaining batter in the large bowl, stir in the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until the color is uniform and the spices are well incorporated.
- Pour the pumpkin cheesecake mixture over the baked crust. Drop dollops of the reserved plain cheesecake batter over the top. Use a knife to gently swirl the two batters together for a marbled look. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This chilling time is essential for the bars to set properly and for the flavors to develop.