Recipes
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
In our test kitchen, folks have strong feelings about pumpkin pie and cheesecake. For some, fall is all about the Great Pumpkin — others lean toward the apple. Some always order the cheesecake; some, not so much. Yet all of us wholeheartedly agree that these pumpkin cheesecake bars are a keeper.
What makes them irresistible to even the naysayers? It may be their smooth, creamy filling, a sublime blend of warm, fall spices, sweet pumpkin, and tangy-tart cheesecake filling. The ratio of filling to dense, graham cracker crust is also perfect. And then there are the mesmerizing swirls: a dessert this pretty must be eaten, and it was, right down to the very last bar.
Pumpkin cheesecake bars will be a blue-ribbon addition at any small, socially distant holiday celebration, from a tiny Friendsgiving to an autumnal barbecue. Afterwards, you can regale your mother with tales of victory — the oohs and aahs, the recipe requests — and maybe, just maybe, she’ll let you bring a pan to her Thanksgiving.
Our tip: These bars definitely get better overnight, so go ahead and make them one day ahead. (But only if you think you can resist eating them.)
Servings: 20
Ingredients
For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
1 lb cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp kosher salt
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground allspice
⅛ tsp ground cloves
1 15-oz can pumpkin purée
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 325º and line a baking pan measuring 9 x 13 inches with parchment paper.
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To make the crust: In a large bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt. Fold in the melted butter until evenly distributed.
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Firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the baking pan, evenly covering the bottom, and bake until fragrant and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
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To make the filling: In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and granulated sugar together until smooth.
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined.
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Beat in the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt until incorporated.
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Reserve ½ cup of the cream cheese mixture, and set it aside.
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Beat in the spices until incorporated.
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Beat in the pumpkin purée until smooth and incorporated.
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Pour the pumpkin filling into the baking dish.
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Using a tablespoon, drizzle the reserved cream cheese mixture across the top of the pumpkin filling, and then use a toothpick to swirl it across the surface.
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Bake the pumpkin cheesecake bars for 40 to 45 minutes. When it’s done, the cake will gently shake in the middle, like jello.
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Set the bars on a rack to cool to room temperature, and then chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Serve cold or at room temperature.