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Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Swirled pumpkin cheesecake bars with a gingersnap crust and a dramatic knife-swirled caramel-and-cream pattern. Baked until just set, then chilled 3 hours for clean, sliceable bars.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
chilling 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For graham or gingersnap crust
  • 2 cup crumbs Use graham cracker crumbs or gingersnap crumbs.
  • 0.33 cup sugar
  • 6 tbsp melted butter
For vanilla cheesecake layer
  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 0.5 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla Use vanilla extract.
For pumpkin swirl layer
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 0.5 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the crust
  1. Preheat oven to 325F, then line a 9x13 pan and press crust crumbs mixture into an even layer. Bake for 8 minutes until fragrant and lightly set, then let it cool briefly.
Make the cheesecake layers
  1. Beat the vanilla cheesecake layer ingredients until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed for a lump-free batter. Set aside.
  2. Beat the pumpkin swirl layer ingredients until smooth and fully combined, with no streaks. Set aside.
Assemble and swirl
  1. Pour the vanilla cheesecake batter over the baked crust, spreading it to the edges for an even base.
  2. Dollop the pumpkin mixture in large spoonfuls over the vanilla layer, leaving some visible peaks and swirls.
  3. Use a knife to swirl dramatically through the layers, dragging through the surface to create bold marbling. Stop when the pattern looks evenly distributed.
Bake, cool, and chill
  1. Bake at 325F for 32-35 minutes until the center is just set with a slight wobble. The edges should look firm while the middle finishes cooking.
  2. Cool the bars to room temperature on the counter, then refrigerate for 3 hours until fully chilled and sliceable. Cut into bars after chilling.

Notes

Pro tip: for the cleanest swirl pattern, swirl right after dolloping and keep your knife passes bold but not repetitive. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezing is yes—freeze bars in a single layer until solid, then wrap; thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, replace half the cream cheese in each layer with Neufchatel while keeping bake times the same.