These fudgy, bite-sized pumpkin cheesecake bars are THE fall pumpkin dessert! Combining two classics (cheesecake + pumpkin pie), it’s one of the most fabulous make-ahead pumpkin desserts. So much fun and easier!
What’s baker, or rather my, math? Tangy cream cheese + sweet pumpkin + earthy spice = the perfect way to celebrate fall!
Each pumpkin cheesecake bar is a luscious, creamy vanilla-kissed cheesecake layer running with thick ribbons of earthy warmth of pumpkin spice that crumbles beneath the fork to reveal a buttery, cracker crust.
Believe me, these pumpkin swirl bars are not just a fall dessert recipe. It’s an ode to the season.
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WHY TRY PUMPKIN PIE CHEESECAKE BARS?
Pumpkin pie spices give it the lovely “holiday flavors.”
It’s a marbled masterpiece with autumnal orange contrasting with the ivory waves!
Perfect for festive potluck, get-together at home, or solo indulgence.
You’ll be making cheesecake bars with pumpkin all season long.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS?
Step 1: Set the oven to preheat and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: Crush Marie biscuits (or any cookies). Combine with melted butter until you have a wet sand consistency.
Step 3: Evenly pack the base of your pan with it. Pressing down to make a tight crumb.
Step 4: Set to bake at 180°C. After 10 minutes, remove the baked cheesecake bar crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 160°C.
Step 5: In a large bowl, add softened cream cheese, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and flour. Mix well using an electric beater until smooth.
Step 6: Divide the cheesecake bar batter equally into 2 bowls. In one of them, stir in pumpkin puree and a hefty dose of pumpkin pie spice.
Step 7: Pour 3/4th of the plain cheesecake batter over your baked crust, followed by the entire pumpkin puree mixed batter.
Step 8: Add the balance 1/4th plain batter on top. Run a knife or skewer through the batters to create whirls.
Step 9: Bake for 50 to 55 minutes till the center is jiggly and the edges are golden and cooked.
Step 10: Turn off the oven. Open the door a crack and let the pumpkin pie cheesecake bars cool inside.
Step 11: After half an hour, transfer to the countertop. An hour later, refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Step 12: Remove from the pan and slice in squares.
Final step: Serve!
TIPS FOR VELVETY PUMPKIN SPICE CHEESECAKE
- Put the biscuits inside a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. Or blitz them in a food processor.
- All your ingredients, especially the cream cheese, must be at room temperature. This is non-negotiable if you want velvety smooth cheesecake bars. So, get it out of the fridge an hour before, and if you’ve forgotten to put it on the countertop, microwave it for 30 to 45 seconds.
- If the batter still feels lumpy, sieve it. Trust me.
- Don’t over-swirl the two batters for a gorgeous marbled top with distinct whirls.
- Resist the temptation to repeatedly open the oven to check if the pumpkin bars have cooked through.
- Cooling gradually (inside the oven, then the countertop) is essential. So, the cheesecake bars don’t crack.
- For best results, chill overnight.
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BAR INGREDIENT SWAPS
Sugar: Use cane, raw or caster.
Pumpkin pie spice: You can very quickly make it at home. Or use store-bought.
Flour: A bit of all-purpose flour is necessary to bind the batter.
Vanilla extract: Homemade is always my choice, but don’t let that stop you from using store-bought.
Eggs: I love the consistency they lend to the pumpkin swirl bars, but you can substitute it with more cream like I did for my eggless saffron cheesecake.
Cream: I used the one readily available – regular Amul cream with 25% fat. Single cream will do, too. Double cream would make the bars richer.
Pumpkin puree: We don’t get canned puree here, so I made the pumpkin puree from scratch. Use any pumpkin variety you get locally or butternut squash.
- Peel and dice the pumpkin.
- Steam in a saucepan with a tightly covered lid for about 20 minutes.
- To create a smooth puree, you can either mash it with a fork or use a blender to blend it.
NEED ANOTHER FALL DESSERT RECIPE?
Baked Apple Donuts With Cinnamon Sugar
Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Cake With Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead and drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love these pumpkin cheesecake bars as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Cheesecake Crust
- 1.5 cups Marie Biscuits You can use Graham crackers, Digestive biscuits or Lotus cookies
- 1/2 cup Butter
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 cups Cream cheese softened
- 1 cup Caster sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Cream I used Amul cream (25% fat)
- 1/3 cup All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup Pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C. Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper.
Cheesecake Crust
- Crush the biscuits into a fine powder in a food processor or place them in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.
- Melt the butter and mix in with the crushed biscuits. This mixture should have the consistency of wet sand.
- Press it down evenly at the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 180C. Remove from the oven.Lower the oven temperature to 160C while you prepare the filling.
Cheesecake Filling
- Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, eggs, cream, all-purpose flour, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.Whisk well until a smooth, lump-free batter is formed.
- Divide this cheesecake batter equally into 2 bowls.
- Add the pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree in one half.
- Pour 3/4 of the plain batter over the baked crust followed by the entire pumpkin cheesecake batter.
- Spoon the balance 1/4 of the plain batter on top. Run a skewer or knife gently through the batters to create swirls.
- Carefully place in the oven and bake at 160C for about 50-60 minutes. The top of the cake should look cooked and the center should be a bit wobbly
- Turn off the heat, slightly crack the door open, and allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
- Let the cake cool on the countertop for another hour and then refrigerate for at least 8 hours for it to set completely.
- Remove carefully from the pan, and place it on your cutting board. Cut into 16 squares. Serve and enjoy!
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