Gear up for fall with these ultra dreamy marbled pumpkin cheesecake bars! A layer of cinnamon graham cracker crust filled with creamy classic and pumpkin flavored cheesecake, marbled together for a look that’s as good as it tastes!
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust
Starting with the base of these cheesecake bars, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Mix until everything is evenly moistened and the texture resembles wet sand. Firmly press the crumbs into the prepared pan, forming an even and compact base.
Bake for 8 minutes to allow the crust to firm up before adding the filling.
Cheesecake Filling
The key to making a smooth cheesecake filling is to have all the ingredients at room temperature. This way the cream cheese will whip up smooth and creamy, instead of hard and lumpy if it were still cold. After beating the cream cheese, mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla until evenly incorporated.
Place 1/2 cup of the filling into a separate bowl. To the bowl, add the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin pie spice and mix well. This is our pumpkin cheesecake filling!
Creating a Marbled Look
To create that eye catching marbled look use a toothpick or thin skewer to swirl both types of filling together. First, pour the plain filling over the warm baked crust. Next, dollop the pumpkin filling on top, placing all over.
Drag some of each colored filling into the opposite color to begin creating the marbled pattern. Continue dragging and swirling the two filings together until you have a look you like. Give the pan a gentle shake to smooth out any peaks, or tap down lightly with your finger.
How to Cut Clean Slices
Dip a large chef’s knife into hot water. Dry off the knife with a clean towel. Cut down once into the bars. Clean off any residue with paper towels. Repeat each step in between each slice; dip, dry, cut, clean.
Ready for more Cheesecake?!
Find out how to make the most PERFECT Classic Cheesecake. This post is filled with all the tips and tricks to create the best cheesecake ever!
If sliced bars are more your style, check out these delish Spiced Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Bars! They are perfect for the fall/holiday season!
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Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 50 min + several hours chilling
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
Description
Layers of cinnamon graham cracker crust, plain cheesecake and pumpkin cheesecake come together to create these eye catching marbled pumpkin cheesecake bars. A perfect fall recipe!
Ingredients
Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8″ pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix together all of the crust ingredients until they are the texture of wet sand. Press firmly into the pan into an even compact layer. Bake the crust for 8 minutes.
Filling
- Using a stand mixer, or a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sugar, egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing until everything is well incorporated and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 cup of the cream cheese mixture.
- Pour the plain cream cheese filling on top of the warm crust and smooth to an even layer. Dollop the pumpkin filling on top, scattering all over. Use a toothpick or skewer to marble the pumpkin layer into the plain cheesecake layer.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cheesecake is set on all sides but not browning in color. Begin checking after 30 minutes of baking. The center will still have a slight jiggle when done.
- Turn off the oven and open the oven door but leave the cheesecake bars inside. Allow to cool inside the open oven for 15-20 minutes. Then remove and place on the counter and continue cooling for at least 1 hour at room temperature. Chill in the fridge for a few more hours before cutting into squares.
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