Pumpkin cheesecake bars

Pumpkin and cream cheese? Who can resist this amazing duo? Certainly not me! These silky bar cookies are a delicious dessert for any fall party! Oh, and did I mention they are naturally gluten free? YAY!

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WHAT MAKES THIS RECIPE WORK

Think pumpkin-pie-meets-cheesecake, but instead of a boring pie crust these are baked with a crunchy and sweet pecan base! There is a lot going on here, but it all works sooo deliciously together.

The bar cookie filling is made with pumpkin purée, eggs, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. The texture is just like pumpkin pie, but then it gets swirled with cream cheese filling and WOAH! It’s divine.

So about this crust. For a crunchier gluten free crust, I used crushed pecans and sugar instead of flour. The texture is slightly crispy and crumbly, but the tapioca flour and melted butter hold it together nicely.

Pecans, pumpkin, cream cheese… sounds like ready, set, go to me!

THE INGREDIENTS

Just a few tips to make this recipe go a little smoother!

make the crust

• PECANS || The trick to the pecan crust is having pecans that are finely chopped, but not pulverized into flour. They should still have a little texture and crunch to them, similar to coarse sand.
• SUGAR || The sweetness makes the crust more mellow and connects it’s flavor profile to the pumpkin filling. An alternative to cane sugar would be substituting coconut sugar (1:1 ratio) or maple syrup (¼:1 ratio)
• BUTTER || The butter binds the crust together and adds richness to the flavor.
• TAPIOCA FLOUR || To keep the recipe gluten free, I used my favorite flour alternative. The tapioca is full of starch and acts as a binder. Alternatives would be regular flour, coconut flour, Bob’s 1:1 or oat flour.
• SEA SALT || Sweet and salty, a match made in heaven. ‘Nuff said.

FOR THE PUMPKIN FILLING

• PUMPKIN PURÉE || Fun fact, many pumpkin purées at the store DO NOT CONTAIN PUMPKIN. I cannot even make this up. Most are made with assorted squash varieties. I used Farmers Market Organic from Natural Grocers, but it is also available on amazon for the same price if you but a 3-pack.
• EGGS || This recipe calls for two eggs at room temperature, plus the yolk of a third egg. The bonus yolk helps to firm up the pumpkin filling.
• HEAVY CREAM || A milk substitute could be used, but if it isn’t a thick liquid, use half of the amount or add a thickener such as tapioca starch.
• BROWN SUGAR || The added molasses in the brown sugar gives the filling an added richness and depth of flavor.
• PUMPKIN PIE SPICE || This is a short cut that I really enjoy taking. Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. Rather than measuring each spice, I prefer to mix up a bulk jar to have on hand. In a quart mason jar, add one cup of Ceylon cinnamon, one half cup of ginger, one fourth cup of cloves and one fourth cup of nutmeg. Shake it up and you have your very own bulk pumpkin pie spice!
• MADAGASCAR BOURBON VANILLA || I’m a huge fan of using the bourbon vanilla for darker recipes, such as chocolate cake or pecan pie. Regular vanilla extract is clear and pairs well with sugar cookies or white sheet cakes. However, they are pretty much interchangeable in my opinion.

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• CREAM CHEESE || Room temperature cream cheese is the shining star of this recipe. I have made this both with name brand and off brand cream cheese and I can’t tell the difference.
• SUGAR || Cheesecake filling is sweet! This is how it happens!
• EGG || Just like the pumpkin filling, this egg needs to be room temperature. Either set it out thirty minutes before assembling this recipe or place it in a bowl of warm water for five minutes.
• MADAGASCAR BOURBON VANILLA || It’s a little touch that adds a lot of flavor!

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS

1. MAKE THE PECAN CRUST || Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9X9 or 8X8 baking pan with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray. Set aside. In a food processor or high speed blender, add the pecans, butter, sugar, tapioca and salt. Pulse to combine until the pecans are finely chopped and resemble coarse sand. Press the crust into the lined pan and bake for 10 minutes, then set it aside until the filling is prepared.
2. MAKE THE PUMPKIN FILLING || In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs, heavy cream, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla until smooth. Set aside and prepare the cream cheese filling.
3. MAKE THE CHEESECAKE FILLING || In a stand mixer, add the room temperature cream cheese, sugar and egg. Whisk on medium speed until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
4. ASSEMBLE THE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS || Pour ¾ of the pumpkin filling over the crust. Dollop the cheese cake filling in a grid pattern on top of the pumpkin filling. Gently flatten the dollops by pressing on them with the flat end of a spatula, then pour the rest of the pumpkin filling on top in a swirl pattern. Use a knife to create a marbled texture by tracing lines and swirls through the cream cheese.
5. BAKE THE BARS || Bake for about 40 minutes until the edges are brown and puffy and the middle is firm but wobbles when shook. Cool completely and then refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.

CAN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS BE FROZEN?

Absolutely! Follow steps 1-5, then check out this tip: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the individually cut bars on the pan with plenty of space between each bar. Place the baking sheet and pumpkin cheesecake bars in the freezer and let them completely freeze, about six hours. Transfer the fully frozen bars to a freezer bag. Ideally, eat them within three weeks but they can be kept in the freezer for up to two months.

NUT-FREE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS VARIATION

These pumpkin bars can be made nut-free! Instead of using pecans, substitute crushed pretzels. Another option would be to use a traditional piecrust.

HELPFUL BAKING TOOLS

• STAND MIXER
• 9X9 BAKING DISH
• PARCHMENT PAPER
• MIXING BOWL
• MEASURING SPOONS
• MEASURING CUPS
• ORGANIC PECANS
• ORGANIC PUMPKIN PURÉE

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

If you love pumpkin cream cheese bars, you have to try my dark chocolate bourbon cookies! They are rich and delicious, guaranteed to satisfy any sugar craving!