I first saw these bars at a Friendsgiving party and I absolutely fell in love with them immediately. Its all the best parts of pumpkin pie but fancier and more complex flavors. The tang from the sour cream compliments the sugar in the pumpkin pie and then the crust is perfect to bite through giving a great experience all the way. For someone who wants something a bit different for Thanksgiving but still wants a pumpkin dessert, these are the treat for you. I made them for Thanksgiving this year and I am sure I will be making them again next year because they were a big hit. I ate three the night I first had them and three more on Thanksgiving. They are way too addicting, maybe you shouldn’t make them for your Thanksgiving and you should just make them for yourself instead. You won’t regret it.
These are pretty straight forward and pretty fun to make. The only tips and tricks I have for this one is a substitution for the vanilla extra for vanilla bean paste but that can be hard to find. Either work! The other item to note is the optional cinnamon boost. I found without the extra cinnamon they were a bit lacking but I made it optional because not everyone likes a lot of cinnamon. The last item for these is maybe consider a double batch because they will go quick!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
A remix of a classic. These are perfect if you like pumpkin pie but want something a little fancier
Ingredients
- Crust Layer
- 2 cups (240 grams) of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (113 grams) of powdered sugar
- 2 sticks (220 grams) of softened unsalted butter
- 8 oz (225 grams) of softened cream cheese
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) of sugar
- 15 oz (425 grams) of pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons (5 grams) of pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons (5 grams) of cinnamon powder(optional)
- 3 eggs (150 grams) at room temperature
- 2 cups (450 grams) of sour cream
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) of vanilla extract
Pumpkin Layer
Cheesecake Topping
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and then line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl mix together the flour and sugar for the crust until combined. Then cut the softened butter into small cubes and incorporate the butter into the flour mixture until a wet sand like mixture forms. About 5 mins or so.
- Press the dough into the pan lined with parchment until an even layer forms. If the dough is too thick for your liking, remove some and use in some test baking or to have a small snack for yourself. Just make sure you have an even layer in your pan.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. It should start to be turning brown.
- In a large bowl or in a stand mixer, mix together softened cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and eggs until well combined. Use the paddle in a stand mixer or beaters with an electric mixer.
- Pour this over the baked crust right after it came out of the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until it is set and not moving in the center.
- Mix together the sour cream, sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer or with an electric mixer until a smooth runny mixture forms. Pour it over the baked pumpkin layer and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely for at least 2 hours.
- Cut into 16 squares and serve them cold. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Per Serving:
310 calories;
20g fat;
31g carbohydrates;
6g protein;
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