These amazing Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars have a buttery graham cracker crust, spiced pumpkin pie filling and a sweet, thick cheesecake swirled through them!
Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Hello my fellow Pumpkin Lovers! It’s so good to see all of you again and bring you my first pumpkin recipe of the year! We are kicking off this Fall season with Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars! Do they look a little familiar?
These glorious Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are a fun twist on my now famous Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins. Those swirls of pumpkin and cream cheese just draw me in with their looks and then after one bite, I’m hooked!
These bars start with a buttery graham cracker crust and then a layer of spiced pumpkin pie filling is spread on top. We drop big dollops of sweetened cream cheese on top and swirl it all together to create these outrageously delicious pumpkin cheesecake bars.
Can I make these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars ahead?
Yes! Absolutely! It’s what makes them the perfect pumpkin dessert for a party. You can make these up to a couple of days ahead and store them in the fridge for an event.
They have to be kept chilled and serve them cold from the fridge when you are ready, just like you would a cheesecake. They are also delicious served with a dollop of whip cream on top, if you happen to have it on hand. Bonus points if it’s cinnamon whipped cream!
Ingredients
You will need ingredients to make the curst, pumpkin layer and cream cheese swirls. It may look like a lot, but most of the ingredients are repeated in each category!
Graham Cracker Crust:
- graham cracker crumbs
- granulated sugar
- melted butter
Pumpkin Layer:
- canned pumpkin (pure pumpkin – not pumpkin pie mix)
- heavy cream
- eggs
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- pumpkin pie spice
Cheesecake Swirl:
- cream cheese
- egg + an extra egg yolk
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
Canned Pumpkin
This recipe uses an entire can of pumpkin, so you will thankfully not have any leftover to go to waste! Like most pumpkin baking recipes, you want to use pure canned pumpkin puree. You do not want to buy a can of pumpkin pie filling. Make sure and check your can to ensure you have the correct one.
Gingersnap Crust vs Graham Cracker Crust
Instead of a graham cracker crust, you can also use crumpled up gingersnap cookies for a gingersnap crust. Both crusts are absolutely delicious and I struggled with which one to share for the recipe on the blog post. I went with a graham cracker crust because it is the most classic crust for cheesecake bars, however the gingersnap crust is also beyond delicious.
How to make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars:
These pumpkin cheesecake bars may look very impressive, but they are surprisingly easy to whip together.
- First we start with the crust: crushed graham crackers (or gingersnaps), butter and sugar pressed into the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Whip together the pumpkin pie layer, seasoned with pumpkin spice, and pour it on top of the graham cracker layer.
- Then we beat together the cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Pour it on top of the pumpkin layer and then drag a knife through the cheesecake and pumpkin layers to create a marbled look.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, cool and refrigerate. Serve chilled!
These Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are seriously scrumptious and an amazing Fall dessert. Serve them chilled with a warm cup of coffee on a chilly Fall night and they are absolute perfection. My husband already is begging me to make another batch AND to also make another batch to bring to his family’s Thanksgiving dinner!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment/review below letting me know how they turn out for you!
Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Check out these reader favorites: the best Pumpkin Cake, Pumpkin Pie Crisp, my easy Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake and a quick and easy Pumpkin Sheet Cake!
Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 10 tablespoons melted butter
Pumpkin Layer:
- 1 can 15 oz pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Cheesecake Swirl:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper or foil.
Graham Cracker Crust:
- In a medium sized bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until crumbly. Press into the prepared baking pan.
Pumpkin Layer:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients (pumpkin puree, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice). Pour on top of graham cracker layer.
Cheesecake Swirl:
- In a medium bowl, beat all ingredients (cream cheese, egg, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla extract) with electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed.
- Spoon tablespoonfuls of cheesecake filling on top of pumpkin layer. With a knife, carefully swirl cheesecake filling into pumpkin mixture to create marbled look. Be careful to not disturb the bottom graham cracker layer while swirling the top two layers.
- Bake for 37 to 42 minutes or until center is set. Cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate for 2 hours, until chilled.
- Slice into squares and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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