Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Bring a new dimension to a classic fall dessert recipe by transforming pumpkin pie into decadent pumpkin cheesecake bars.
I don't know that I could ever get sick of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving without a form of pumpkin pie is almost like Christmas without snow. Something just doesn't feel right.
Most of the time I'm a stickler for traditional pumpkin pie. But, more than one pumpkin dessert is more than ok. Or maybe you're looking for a twist on pumpkin pie for your holiday table. That's cool too.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
For my fellow pumpkin fanatics, these are a great twist on the traditional pie.
The crust of these bars bursts with flavors of fall spice and each bite is full of creamy and smooth pumpkin cheesecake.
Cut into squares, these bars make for great small bites for a party. And, they are perfect for when you want to sample multiple holiday desserts.
Alone, the cheesecake is not overly sweet and the fall flavors really pop. Feel free to leave them that way. However, a bit of caramel drizzled on top brings the bars to a whole different level.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Yield: 1 (8x8) pan
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 c sugar cookie or graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tablespoon salted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
For the Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ c brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 c pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
For the Topping
- Caramel (optional)
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat your oven to 375F.
- In a medium bowl mix crust ingredients, stirring until moistened. Press into an 8x8 pan.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
- Remove the crust from the oven and let cool slightly.
For the Filling
- While the crust is baking, make the filling. In a large bowl beat the filling ingredients with an electric mixer until combined and smooth.
- Pour the filling mixture over the slightly cooled crust.
- Bake the cheesecake at 375F for 40 minutes, until the center is set and does not jiggle.
- Let the cheesecake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before covering and refrigerating for 12-24 hours.
- If topping with caramel, do so just before serving.
Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
Oh my! I might need a bib.
These look delicious! I froze some extra pumpkin pie mix from the holiday and was looking for an idea to use it in another dessert and I think you have solved my dilemma. Take Care, BAM
Love the concept! Looks delicious.
Wow these looks so yummy!! I love pumpkin and cheesecake, especially mixed together.
Thank you! This was the first time I had tried combining the two. They are both great alone, but together is quite a treat!
These look very interesting 🙂