These Cheesecake Swirled Pumpkin Bars are everything you are looking for in a fast and easy fall dessert. This pumpkin cheesecake recipe is easy and has just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. It tastes exactly like a cheesecake that crossed paths with a pumpkin spice cake or pumpkin bars – the very best of both worlds.
The only thing difficult about this cream cheese swirl cake is waiting for it to cool down so you can eat it!
The thought of a pumpkin spice latte doesn't appeal to me at all, but a pumpkin cake, pumpkin quick bread or pumpkin roll is right up my alley! Gimme all the baked goods when fall arrives!
These cheesecake swirled pumpkin bars fit in nicely with my growing pumpkin recipe collection! If you are craving pumpkin, be sure to try my Pumpkin Spice Donuts, Pumpkin Donut Holes (perfect if you don't have a donut pan!), Pumpkin Crunch Cake and even a big ol' pan of Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin Marinara Sauce. Oh, and if you don't eat flour, try my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars!
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Ingredients
This pumpkin swirl recipe comes together quickly with just about 10 minutes of hands on time. I'm using common pantry ingredients, no fancy extras needed! One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it uses an entire can of pumpkin puree and an entire block of cream cheese. No odd quantities of leftovers for us today!
Pumpkin Bar Batter
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- pumpkin pie spice
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- egg
- pumpkin puree
- butter
Cheesecake filling
- cream cheese
- sugar
- egg
See recipe card for quantities
How to make cheesecake swirled pumpkin bars
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Prepare a 15x10x1 inch baking sheet by spraying it generously with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the eggs, pumpkin and softened butter until combined.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar and egg. Start beating on a low speed and then increase to medium-high. This will take a few. minutes, but the cheesecake filling will look glossy, silky and smooth when it's ready.
3. Spread thin, uneven dollops all over the top of the pumpkin bar batter. Use a knife or chopstick to swirl through the cheesecake and batter, being careful not to scrape the bottom of the pan.
4. Run the knife back and forth, diagonal and side to side until you are satisfied with the marble pattern. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Set the hot pan of pumpkin bars with cream cheese swirls on a wire rack and let it cool for up to two hours before cutting and serving.
6. The cheesecake swirled pumpkin bars can be cut into traditional squares. It can be sliced into big pieces and will make 24 bars, or small pieces and can be stretched to 48 bars. When I am cutting it into 48 pieces, I like to make my 24 squares and then cut each square in half diagonally to make cute little triangles.
Hint: This recipe can also be made as two 8” circle cake pans. Follow the steps above, but decrease the baking time to 20-25 minutes.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead
Recipe
Cheesecake swirled pumpkin bars
Equipment
- 11X15 sheet pan
- mixing bowl or stand mixer
Ingredients
Pumpkin bar batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoons salt
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1 15-ounce pumpkin puree
- 1 cup butter softened
Cheesecake filling
- 1 8-ounce cream cheese softened
- 1 egg
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Prepare a 10X15X1 baking sheet by spraying it with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoons salt
- Stir in the eggs, pumpkin and softened butter until combined.4 eggs, 1 15-ounce pumpkin puree, 1 cup butter
- In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar and egg. Start beating on a low speed and then increase to medium-high. This will take a few. minutes, but the cheesecake filling will look glossy, silky and smooth when it's ready.1 8-ounce cream cheese, 1 egg, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Spread thin, uneven dollops all over the top of the pumpkin bar batter. Use a knife or chopstick to swirl through the cheesecake and batter, being careful not to scrape the bottom of the pan.
- Run the knife back and forth, diagonal and side to side until you are satisfied with the marble pattern. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Set the hot pan of pumpkin bars with cream cheese swirls on a wire rack and let it cool for up to two hours before cutting and serving.
- The cheesecake swirled pumpkin bars can be cut into traditional squares. It can be sliced into big pieces and will make 24 bars, or small pieces and can be stretched to 48 bars. When I am cutting it into 48 pieces, I like to make my 24 squares and then cut each square in half diagonally to make cute little triangles.
Notes
VARIATIONS
This recipe is really tasty as written, but there are a few ways you can put your own spin on it!- Pecans: I know not everyone loves nuts in their desserts, but I think pecans and pumpkin are a match made in heaven. I like to sprinkle ½ cup of toasted pecan pieces over the bar cookies just before baking.
- Applesauce: For my friends who don’t actually like pumpkin desserts, this is actually the same recipe I use to make my Apple Bars with Cream Cheese Swirl. Instead of using the pumpkin puree, you will need 15 ounces of applesauce. If I’m doing the apple version, I will also substitute the pumpkin pie spice for apple pie spice.
- Chocolate: I generally like to keep my pumpkin cake as-is, but is it ever a bad idea to add mini chocolate chips? There are two ways I’ve done this, and I like them both (so I’m not going to tell you which one to choose!). First, you can stir ½ cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips into the cream cheese mixture and then sprinkle another handful over the top after the cream cheese has been swirled into the pumpkin batter. The other way is simply sprinkling the chocolate chips over the top just before baking.
Substitutions
There is one question that comes up more often than all of the others when it comes to making these pumpkin bar cookies. Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree? NO! Just no. Pumpkin puree is what you need for this. Another substitution that can be made is to use individual spices instead of pumpkin pie spice. If you are wanting to make your spice blend from scratch, I’ve found that 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon clove, ¼ teaspoon ginger works very well.Nutrition
Substitutions
There is one question that comes up more often than all of the others when it comes to making these pumpkin bar cookies. Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree? NO! Just no. Pumpkin puree is what you need for this.
If you are holding a can of pumpkin pie filling in one hand and puree in the other, let me tell you what the difference is. Pumpkin pie filling contains additional ingredients like sugar, spices, and thickeners. Pumpkin puree made from scratch contains only pumpkin, but canned puree may contain a preservative like salt. You want the puree for this!
Another substitution that can be made is to use individual spices instead of pumpkin pie spice. If you are wanting to make your spice blend from scratch, I’ve found that 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon clove, ¼ teaspoon ginger works very well.
Variations
This recipe is really tasty as written, but there are a few ways you can put your own spin on it!
- Pecans: I know not everyone loves nuts in their desserts, but I think pecans and pumpkin are a match made in heaven. I like to sprinkle ½ cup of toasted pecan pieces over the bar cookies just before baking.
- Applesauce: For my friends who don’t actually like pumpkin desserts, this is actually the same recipe I use to make my Apple Bars with Cream Cheese Swirl. Instead of using the pumpkin puree, you will need 15 ounces of applesauce. If I’m doing the apple version, I will also substitute the pumpkin pie spice for apple pie spice.
- Chocolate: I generally like to keep my pumpkin cake as-is, but is it ever a bad idea to add mini chocolate chips? There are two ways I’ve done this, and I like them both (so I’m not going to tell you which one to choose!). First, you can stir ½ cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips into the cream cheese mixture and then sprinkle another handful over the top after the cream cheese has been swirled into the pumpkin batter. The other way is simply sprinkling the chocolate chips over the top just before baking.
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Equipment
My baking style tends to lean towards the very simple side. You will need a mixing bowl, whisk, spatula and a baking sheet. The baking sheet can be a 9X13 baking dish, 15X10X1-inch baking sheet pan, or two 8” round cake pans.
I find it easier to whisk the cream cheese filling with my stand mixture, but it can also be done by hand if you don’t have one.
How to store cheesecake swirled pumpkin bars
These pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature. Make sure they are covered with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container.
Freeze any leftovers for up to three months in a freezer bag.
Top tip
If your marbled top of the cheesecake swirled pumpkin bars doesn't look perfect, don't worry! I promise the bars will still be delicious.
More pumpkin recipes
Looking for other pumpkin recipes like this? Try these:
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