Not only these pumpkin pie cheesecake bars are gorgeous, with their swirly marble pattern, but the flavor is divine! They’re rich and creamy, as cheesecake should be, with that nostalgic pumpkin pie spice that everyone loves.

From Dream Desserts by Amie McGregor of The Food Duchess blog, this superb collection of recipes will elevate your bakes and desserts to the next level with unique flavor twists, fun fillings and inventive toppings.

Whether you’re a baking afficionado or a baking newbie, Amie’s detailed instructions, helpful tips and beautiful photography make it easy to get perfect results each time.

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars: Ingredients

Makes 20 bars

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 21⁄4 cups (300 g) graham cracker crumbs
• 1⁄3 cup (66 g) white sugar
• 10 tbsp (150 ml) unsalted butter, melted

Pumpkin Cheesecake:

• 4 (8-oz [227-g]) blocks cream cheese, well softened
• 11⁄2 cups (300 g) white sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 tsp table salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
• 3⁄4 cup (184 g) pumpkin purée
• 2 tsp (5 g) cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1⁄2 tsp ground ginger
• 1⁄8 tsp nutmeg
• 6 tbsp (90 ml) sour cream

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars: Instructions

Graham Cracker Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar and whisk well. Pour the melted butter into the bowl, then mix with a fork, or your hands, until the butter is well dispersed and the mixture resembles wet sand.

Grease a 9 x 13–inch (23 x 33–cm) baking sheet and add two pieces of parchment to cover all sides of the pan. Pour the crust into the pan and press it down evenly into the bottom. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to really compact it. Put the crust into the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Pumpkin Cheesecake:

Turn the oven down to 325°F (160°C). In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, place the softened cream cheese and beat on low until it looks soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, vanilla and salt, and beat on low until very creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. While still beating on low, add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, ensuring that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the heavy cream and cornstarch, then beat on low until the cheesecake filling looks creamy, smooth and uniform.

Divide the batter into two bowls. In one bowl add the pumpkin purée, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg, then beat until smooth. In the other bowl, put the sour cream and then beat until smooth.

Spoon each batter, alternating each time, over the top of the cooled graham cracker crust. After all of the batter from both bowls has been added, use a wooden skewer or a knife to swirl the batters together in the pan.

Place into the oven to bake for 40 to 45 minutes. When the cheesecake is done it should still be a little jiggly in the center.

When done, lightly crack the oven open to allow the cheesecake to slowly cool in the oven for about 11⁄2 hours. After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and place onto the counter to cool to room temperature. Once at room temperature, wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap and place it into the fridge for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.

Reprinted with permission from Dream Desserts by Amie Macgregor, Page Street Publishing, Co. 2021. Photo credit: Amie Macgregor