Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Swirl Bars
The flavor of pumpkin pie, but with a graham cracker crust, Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Swirl Bars are the perfect end to your Thanksgiving dinner.
Servings: 16
Calories: 260kcal
Equipment
- Food Processor only needed if making your own graham crumbs
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 16 whole graham crackers broken into pieces (Use Gluten Free graham crackers to make this recipe Gluten Free)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake Swirl
- 4 ounces Neufchatel or light cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 1/2 cups (1 can) evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups pureed winter squash (pumpkin, butternut, or acorn squash, or a mixture) (canned, or homemade)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Heat oven to 325°F. Add 16 whole graham crackers (broken into pieces), 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and a pinch salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until graham crackers form crumbs. Add the melted butter and continue to process until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press crumb mix firmly into the bottom of a 9x13" inch baking pan. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until it turns golden brown and becomes fragrant. Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
Cheesecake Swirl
- In a medium bowl, beat together 4 ounces Neufchatel or light cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with a hand mixer until smooth. Set aside.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Whisk together 1 1/2 cups (1 can) evaporated milk, 1/2 cup milk, 3 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat 3 cups pureed winter squash (pumpkin, butternut, or acorn squash, or a mixture), 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg over medium heat. Stir frequently until the mixture begins to simmer. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens (if your puree was already very thick to start with, you can skip this step). Whisk in the milk mixture until smooth. Keep the filling mixture warm until you are ready to add it to the crust.
- Pour warm pumpkin pie filling over the prepared graham cracker crust. Carefully drizzle the cheesecake swirl in vertical and horizontal lines through the pumpkin pie filling. Use a skewer or chopstick to gently swirl the two together, being careful not to disrupt the crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 400°F, then without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 300°F. Continue baking for another 35 minutes, then check the temperature of the center of the filling with an instant-read thermometer. If it has reached 175°F, it is done. If not, continue baking, and check the temperature at 5- minute intervals, removing the baking pan when it reaches 175°F.
- Cool on a cooling rack for 2-3 hours before serving. Cover tightly with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with whipped cream if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Bar | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 330mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g
