Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are a Fall favorite for very obvious sweet and delicious reasons.
Servings: 9
Calories:
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cup graham crackers about 9 sheets
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 2 (8 oz package) cream cheese softened/room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Whipping Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
Crust
- Place parchment paper with overhanging edges on the bottom of the 9"x 9" pan (this will help when removing the crumble bar from the pan later). Grease the sides with cooking flour spray or butter.
- In a medium size bowl: place in the graham crackers, melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and mix well. Then form the crumbs into the bottom of the pan (use the bottom of a measuring cup to help press down). Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a medium size bowl: add softened cream cheese and sugar. Whip until smooth. Add sour cream, vanilla extract and whip until smooth. Add 1 egg and whip until smooth. Continue to add the other egg and continue to whip until smooth.
- Remove the pan from freezer. Put half of the cream cheese mixture atop the graham cracker crust. Spread and level the cream cheese mixture using a silicone or cake spatula. Then gently jiggle to help settle and further level the mixture (this will help making a nice uniform and beautiful layer).
- Add pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice to the other half of the cream cheese mixture. Mix well until it looks constant with no swirls. Use a ladle to place the pumpkin mixture over the previous white cream cheese layer. Then repeat steps to spread and level the upper most layer. Then very gently jiggle the pan until settled and level: (don't be too aggressive here and you will have a beautiful layer dish). Do not pour the upper layer directly over the cream cheese layer. This may result in layer inconsitencies. Watch the video for reference.
- Place the pan in the middle of the oven rack. Bake for 45-50 minutes (mine took ~45 minutes).
- Remove the pan and let cool completely for at least 2 hours (room temperature). Then, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. Prior to serving, remove the cheesecake from the pan and then cut into 9 pieces.
Whipping Cream
- In a bowl: add cold whipping cream, powdered sugar and maple syrup. Beat on medium until soft peaks form. Place the cream in a tipped pastry bag. Then decorate each bar with cream just prior to serving.