Description
These luscious Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars feature a buttery graham cracker crust, a rich and creamy cheesecake filling, and beautiful swirls of spiced pumpkin. They are the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving, fall gatherings, or cozy autumn nights. Easy to make and ideal for serving a crowd, these bars combine the flavors of pumpkin spice and cheesecake into one irresistible treat.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Crust:
- 15 whole rectangular graham crackers (just over 2 cups of crumbs)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
- 1 ¼ cups pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Three 8-oz packages full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
Instructions
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil and lightly grease it.
- Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
- In a bowl, mix the crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until evenly combined.
- Press mixture firmly into the prepared pan to form an even crust.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
Filling:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and flour. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Add vanilla extract, sour cream, and salt, mixing until fully combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing gently after each addition. Do not overmix.
- Remove 1 ½ cups of cheesecake batter and stir it into the pumpkin mixture.
Assembly and Baking:
- Alternate spoonfuls of plain cheesecake batter and pumpkin batter over the crust.
- Swirl with a knife or skewer to create a marbled effect, avoiding the crust.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Serving:
- Slice into 18 bars and serve chilled.
Notes
- Gingersnap Crust: Substitute graham crackers with crushed gingersnaps for extra spice.
- Chocolate Swirl: Melt dark chocolate and swirl into the cheesecake mixture.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free graham crackers and replace flour with cornstarch.
- Storage: Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cooling Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
