pumpkin cream cheese bars

Soft and spiced pumpkin bars topped with a creamy cream cheese swirl. This easy fall dessert delivers pumpkin cheesecake flavor without a water bath or springform pan.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 3

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 bars

Ingredients

Pumpkin Base

1 cup 225 g canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs room temperature
½ cup 110 g packed brown sugar
½ cup 100 g granulated sugar
½ cup 120 ml vegetable oil
1 teaspoon 5 ml vanilla extract
1½ cups 190 g all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon 5 g baking powder
½ teaspoon 3 g salt
1 teaspoon 3 g ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon 1 g ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon 1 g ground ginger

Cream Cheese Swirl

8 oz 226 g full-fat cream cheese, softened
¼ cup 50 g granulated sugar
1 large egg room temperature
1 teaspoon 5 ml vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper.
Whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just combined.
Beat softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
Spread the pumpkin batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter.
Swirl gently with a knife using about 4–5 figure-eight passes.
Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the center has a slight jiggle and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan for at least 2 hours.
Slice and serve.

Notes

Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.

Use room-temperature eggs and softened cream cheese.

Full-fat cream cheese gives the best swirl.

Don't overmix the pumpkin batter.

Don't over-swirl the cream cheese.

Don't cut the bars while they're still warm.

Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.