Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

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This is a delicious pumpkin-swirled cheesecake bar. We can attest this is great made with a lactose-free cream cheese and sour cream, if that's what you need (like Heather!).

Prep Time: 25 min

Cook time: 50 min + 8 hrs to cool

Yield: 9 x 13 pan (about 18 squares)

Ingredients

Crust:

• 15 whole rectangular graham crackers OR 2 cups of graham crumbs

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree

• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tbsp all purpose flour

• Three 8-oz packages full fat cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1 2/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup full fat sour cream

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

  
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan.

Crust:

1. Put the graham crackers in a food processor and whiz until the graham crackers are a fine crumb (you should have just over 2 cups of crumbs). In a bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and melted butter and stir until combined. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan and press it into an even layer.

2. Bake the crust for 10-15 mins until it is just beginning to turn golden brown and fragrant. Place the crust on a wire rack to cool slightly while you make the filling.

Filling:

1. In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, spices and flour. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl on your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, sour cream and salt and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed and turning off the mixer when the last egg is fully mixed in.

3. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese mixture and add it to the reserved pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined.

4. Alternate scoops of cream cheese filling and the pumpkin filling all over the top of the crust. Drag a butter knife gently through to swirl the two mixtures together. Be careful not to drag the knife all the way down into the crust.

5. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the centre still has a very slight jiggle but the edges are set. Place on a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill (this will take several hours).

   
   

Zhuzh it up!

• You can make your own pumpkin purée from scratch by cutting a pie pumpkin in half (scoop the "guts" first) and roasting it in the oven until fork-tender. Peel and toss the pumpkin into your blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You can freeze unused purée for later baking!

  
  

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