One Easy Fall-Inspired Dessert Transforms Pumpkin Puree And Graham Crackers Into A Creamy Treat

The arrival of fall is marked by orange-hued landscapes, but most importantly by the sudden influx of pumpkins, giving us an excuse to add them to our favorite baked goods, such as these luscious cheesecake bars. They are less finicky to bake than a traditional pumpkin cheesecake and are perfectly portioned for an easy on-the-go treat that you can take to work. They will make your midmorning coffee taste so much better.

Start by making the crust, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a 9x9-inch baking pan. Blitz 1 ½ cups of graham crackers with 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Mix in enough melted butter to form a paste-like consistency, adding 1 tablespoon of butter at a time. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.

In the meantime, mix the cheesecake batter. In a bowl, whip 24 ounces of room-temperature cream cheese with ½ a cup of tangy sour cream and 1 cup of sugar, being careful not to overbeat. Add a dash of vanilla extract. Beat 3 eggs into the batter, 1 at a time, until smooth. Divide the batter into two separate bowls. Add ⅔ cup of pumpkin puree with 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin spice to one of the bowls. Alternate scoops of each batter over the graham cracker crust, then use a knife to gently swirl them into a marbled pattern.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the edges set and the center just jiggles slightly. Allow the bars to cool completely before transferring to the refrigerator to chill, ideally overnight, then cut and serve.

This recipe works well with both fresh and canned puree, but avoid canned pie filling as it is already sweetened. You can freeze any leftover pumpkin puree you have for future use. Once the bars are baked and chilled, a few simple tricks will help ensure clean, bakery-worthy slices. The key to perfectly cut cheesecake bars is allowing them to cool completely before slicing. To make this process easier, leave a slight overhang of parchment paper when lining the pan so you can lift the bars out with ease in one piece. Dip your knife in hot water and dry it before cutting the bars for the crispest lines.

Dust the bars with powdered sugar for a dainty finish, or drizzle them with dark chocolate and a pinch of flaky sea salt. This will bring out the pumpkin flavor even more and counterbalance the sweetness.

To make these cheesecake bars truly knock it out of the park, give them the brûlée treatment. Sprinkle the chilled, cut bars with a generous layer of granulated sugar right before serving and use a blowtorch to caramelize the top layer. This creates a crackly, shiny surface that's ultra-crunchy and utterly irresistible. For a plant-based alternative, try our vegan pumpkin pie bars instead.