When the calendar says it is time for cool fall climate, but it surely’s nonetheless sizzling exterior, we now have to get inventive with our desserts. These pumpkin cheesecake bars are a candy mix of cool, creamy cheesecake and heat, spicy pumpkin. It is the proper duo!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars Recipe
I am unable to consider a greater mixture than creamy pumpkin pie with cheesecake, are you able to? For those who’re somebody who likes their pumpkin pie chilly, like my husband, you’ll undoubtedly love this dessert mash-up.
My subsequent kitchen challenge is swirling a bit of cheesecake batter into my mini pumpkin pies for the same impact, however a smaller serving dimension!
This recipe for pumpkin cheesecake bars is made in an 8″ sq. pan to get 12 medium or 16 small bars. Typical cookie bar recipes are made in an enormous 9×13-inch pan with far too many leftovers! Nonetheless, it’s possible you’ll double this recipe precisely and make it in a 9×13-inch pan.
Straightforward Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares Elements
The underside layer of this dessert is a crisp graham cracker crust that incorporates a small quantity of pumpkin spice. I prefer to infuse each chew of this dessert with pumpkin spice taste! Talking of, I make my very own pumpkin spice mix from my do-it-yourself pumpkin spice lattes recipe.
- Graham Crackers. We want 8 complete graham cracker sheets for this recipe. For those who purchase graham cracker crumbs which have already been crushed, we want 1 ¼ cups, or 128 grams.
- Granulated Sugar. This pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe solely makes use of granulated white sugar. I do know that brown sugar is a typical ingredient in crustless pumpkin pie, however I’ve discovered the additional molasses to make these bars overly moist. Stick with white sugar for the crust, cheesecake layer and the pumpkin layer.
- Pumpin Pie Spice. That is only a mix of floor cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. I like a pinch of black pepper in my pumpkin pie spice in order that it jogs my memory of a chai latte.
- Butter. A small quantity of melted unsalted butter is for the graham cracker crust.
- Cream Cheese. Two 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese which were softened at room temperature for about half-hour. It is best to take away the cream cheese from the package deal and let it relaxation on a plate or chopping board at room temperature.
- Eggs. Two giant eggs, crushed in a separate bowl earlier than stirring into the cheesecake batter.
- Vanilla. All the time bake with actual, pure vanilla extract.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree. Learn the label earlier than shopping for canned pumpkin puree to make sure you’re shopping for pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie puree. The latter has sugar already added and can trigger the recipe to fail. Since this recipe makes use of solely ¾ cup of pumpkin, use the remainder of the can for my simple pumpkin bread or my mini pumpkin sheet cake with brown butter glaze on high.
- Floor Cinnamon. A small quantity of additional floor cinnamon for the batter, as a result of I discover that pumpkin pie spice by itself generally is a little too ginger-y.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars Substitutions
Chocolate Pumpkin Variation – As a substitute of normal graham crackers, use chocolate graham crackers for a chocolate twist!
The best way to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Despite the fact that this dessert is a mix of two completely different desserts, it solely makes use of one bowl for preparation! We are going to make the graham cracker crumbs within the meals processor (in the event you’re utilizing complete crackers), after which make the cheesecake batter in a bowl. When the cheesecake batter is completed, take away 1 cup of it and put aside. Add the remaining elements to remodel it into pumpkin cheesecake. The batters can be swirled collectively earlier than baking within the pan.
For those who’re beginning with complete graham crackers, you may must crush them in a meals processor. After crushing, add the sugar, pumpkin pie spice and melted butter. For those who’re beginning with graham cracker crumbs, merely stir them along with the sugar, pumpkin pie spice and melted butter.
Scrape the graham cracker crumb combination into an 8-inch sq. pan that has been lined in each instructions with parchment paper to forestall sticking. Use a measuring cup or shot glass to press the crumbs flat. It is okay if the crumbs go up the edges of the pan a bit. Bake at 350-degrees F for 10 minutes.
Subsequent, make the cheesecake layer: beat collectively the softened cream cheese and sugar with an electrical mixer till very easy. Add the vanilla and eggs, and beat on LOW simply till mixed. Don’t over-beat the batter as soon as the eggs are added.
Take away one cup of the plain cheesecake batter and put aside.
To the remaining cheesecake batter within the bowl, add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and additional cinnamon. Beat simply till mixed.
Unfold the pumpkin cheesecake batter over the par-baked crust within the pan.
Dollop the reserved cup of plain cheesecake batter over the floor of the pumpkin cheesecake batter. Then, use a toothpick or knife to swirl it in for a phenomenal floor.
Bake the pumpkin cheesecake bars once more at 350-degrees F for 38-41 minutes till the middle is simply barely jiggly. For those who insert a knife or toothpick into the middle, it won’t come out overly moist. Let the bars cool at room temperature on a wire rack for 1 hour, after which refrigerate the bars for at the very least 8 hours earlier than slicing and serving.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares Ideas
- For those who don’t have a meals processor, place the graham crackers in a plastic meals storage bag, and seal it. Use a rolling pin to crush into effective crumbs. Pour the crumbs within the bowl earlier than including the sugar, melted butter and pumpkin spice.
- Cheesecake could be difficult to know when to take away from the oven. When the timer goes off, pull the tray out from the oven. If the middle of the cheesecake is barely jiggly and the floor of the cheesecake just isn’t overly moist, it’s performed. It can proceed to cook dinner a bit because it cools.
Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars Storage
If you want to freeze these bars, minimize them into squares, individually wrap them in plastic wrap, after which place them in a freezer air-tight bag. Freeze them within the bag laying flat, after which as soon as they’re frozen individually, you may transfer the bag upright to suit your freezer higher. To benefit from the bars, transfer a bar to the fridge to defrost in a single day. If it is nonetheless not thawed, depart it on the counter at room temperature for a number of hours. Don’t microwave the bars.
Sure, as a result of these pumpkin cheesecake bars include egg and dairy merchandise, they must be continuously refrigerated. After baking, the bars are cooled after which positioned within the fridge for 8 hours to agency up. Proceed to retailer them within the fridge the place they’ll preserve for as much as 4 days.
For those who’re in search of a regular cheesecake to slice, do not miss my prompt pot pumpkin cheesecake.
Yield: 16
Straightforward Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares
Straightforward pumpkin cheesecake bars in an 8 inch sq. pan for a smaller serving.
Prep Time
20 minutes
Prepare dinner Time
51 minutes
Whole Time
1 hour 11 minutes
Elements
For the crust:
- 8 complete graham cracker sheets (about 1 ¼ cups crumbs, or 128 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 5 tablespoons (71 grams) butter, melted
For the cheesecake:
- 2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 giant eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree (Libby’s model has the darkest orange shade)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon floor cinnamon
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8-inch sq. baking pan with parchment paper in each instructions to assist take away the bars after baking.
- First, make the curst: in a meals processor, add the 8 complete graham crackers, breaking them up as you add them. Place the lid on the meals processor and pulse the graham crackers to begin to break them down a bit.
Add the sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and mix once more to combine. - Lastly, add the melted butter and pulse till moist crumbs kind and the crust elements are homogenous. Scrape the crumbs right into a 8 or 9” sq. pan lined with parchment paper in each instructions. Press them flat with the again of a measuring cup (it’s okay if the crust goes up the edges a bit).
- Bake the crust at 350 for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take away from the oven and let cool whilst you make the filling.
- To make the filling: in a big bowl, add the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar. Beat with an electrical mixer till very easy and well-combined.
Add the eggs and vanilla. - Combine within the eggs and vanilla, however use a low pace and take a look at to not over-mix and whip an excessive amount of air into the batter, or else the cheesecake can puff up within the oven and crack because it cools.
- Take away 1 cup of cheesecake batter and set it apart.
- To the remainder of the cheesecake batter within the bowl, add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Beat simply to mixed.
- Pour the pumpkin cheesecake batter into the awaiting crust, after which use a spoon to dollop the reserved white cheesecake submitting everywhere in the floor. Use a knife or toothpick to swirl the 2 collectively.
- Bake at 350 for 38-41 minutes. The middle can nonetheless be very barely jiggly, however not overly moist. Let cool within the pan for 1 hour, after which take away from the pan and permit to chill to room temperature. Refrigerate for at the very least 8 hours earlier than serving for good, agency bars and even slices.
Notes
Graham Crackers: We want 8 complete graham cracker sheets for this recipe. For those who purchase graham cracker crumbs which have already been crushed, we want 1 ¼ cups, or 128 grams.
Pumpin Pie Spice: This can be a jarred spice mix product of floor cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg.
Cream Cheese: The quickest technique to soften cream cheese is to take away it from the package deal and let it relaxation on a plate or chopping board at room temperature for as much as an hour.
Canned Pumpkin Puree: Learn the label earlier than shopping for canned pumpkin puree to make sure you’re shopping for pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie puree. The latter has sugar already added and can trigger the recipe to fail.
Storage: These pumpkin cheesecake bars want to stay within the fridge indefinitely. You’ll be able to freeze them individually in layers of plastic wrap and retailer them in freezer protected luggage. To defrost, transfer them to the fridge in a single day or let relaxation at room temperature for a number of hours. Don’t microwave these bars. Retailer all leftovers within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Diet Data:
Yield:
16
Serving Dimension:
1
Quantity Per Serving:
Energy: 206Whole Fats: 11gSaturated Fats: 6gTrans Fats: 0gUnsaturated Fats: 4gLdl cholesterol: 52mgSodium: 133mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 3g
