These spiral pumpkin cheesecake bars have the flavors of pumpkin pie and cream cheese pie in a graham cracker crust.
Ingredients
The bark:
▢15 whole rectangular graham crackers
▢1/4 cup granulated sugar
▢8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
▢1-1/4 cups pumpkin puree
▢1-1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
▢1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
▢1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
▢Three 8 ounce packs of full cream cheese
▢1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
▢1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
▢1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
▢1/8 teaspoon salt
▢3 large eggs
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 mold with aluminum foil and lightly grease the foil.
Crust:
Place graham crackers in a food processor bowl and process until the graham crackers are in fine crumbs (you should have a little more than 2 cups of crumbs). In a separate bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar and melted butter and stir until combined. Press the crust on the bottom of the prepared pan and press it until you get an even layer (I use the back of a measuring cup).
Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes until it begins to brown and fragrant. Place the crust on a wire rack to cool slightly while making the filling.
Filling:
In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, spices and flour. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, sour cream and salt and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, and turn off the mixer as soon as the last egg is fully incorporated.
Measure 1-1/2 cups cream cheese mixture and add to reserved pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined.
Alternate spoonfuls of cream cheese filling and pumpkin filling all over the top of the crust. Use a sharp knife to drag/swirl the two mixtures together (I make a figure of eights). Be careful not to drag the knife into the crust.
Bake in the center of the oven for 35-45 minutes, until the center still has a slight movement but the edges are well placed. Place it on a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer it to the refrigerator to cool (this will take several hours).
Notes
Use full cream cheese and sour cream for this recipe. Low fat alternatives may have stabilizers that can affect texture.
Be sure to buy pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling (which is already sweetened).
Don’t put too much emphasis on the cheese cake crust. If you add too much air, it can break up when baked.
You should allow at least 8 hours for the cheesecake to cool down. First it must be cooled to room temperature, and then it must be completely cooled in the refrigerator.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.