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It’s 12am and I’m typing like a madwoman because I just have to share these Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese. They’re too good to keep to myself. Every bite is soft, spiced, and sweet, with a creamy swirl that makes you wonder how something so simple can taste this special.
If you’ve been searching for the best pumpkin bars recipe, this is it. These bars are rich, moist, and perfectly balanced, almost like a bite-sized pumpkin swirl cheesecake. They’re the kind of treat you’ll crave all season long.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
There’s something about these Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese that feels like fall comfort in dessert form. The pumpkin batter bakes up soft and fluffy, while the cream cheese layer adds a rich, tangy swirl that melts perfectly into every bite. Together, they create that dreamy balance of spice and sweetness everyone loves.
What makes this the best pumpkin bars recipe is how easy it is to pull off while tasting like a bakery treat. It gives all the cozy flavor of a pumpkin swirl cheesecake without the fuss. One bite and you’ll understand why these bars disappear faster than you can slice them.
What Goes Into Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese
These Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese come together with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Here are the key players that make them so good:
- Pure Pumpkin Puree: The heart of this recipe, pumpkin adds moisture, natural sweetness, and that classic fall flavor. Make sure you’re using pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Cream Cheese: Softened cream cheese creates the luscious swirl that gives these bars their signature cheesecake flavor. It’s what makes them taste like mini pumpkin swirl cheesecake squares.
- Brown Sugar: Adds depth and a hint of caramel-like sweetness that pairs beautifully with the spices and pumpkin.
- Cinnamon: A must for that warm, cozy aroma that defines the best pumpkin bars recipe. It ties everything together with a gentle spice kick.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease an 8×8-inch pan with cooking spray. Line it with parchment paper for easy removal after baking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, sweetener, pumpkin puree, oil, honey, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the bars soft.
- Fold In Chocolate Chips: Gently mix in the white chocolate chips to add extra sweetness and texture to the batter. Set aside while you prepare the cheesecake layer.
- Make Cheesecake: In another bowl, combine cream cheese, flour, cinnamon, and sugar. Beat until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Assemble the Layers: Pour the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Create the Swirl: Pour the cheesecake mixture over the batter, then drag a knife through both layers to create a gentle marble effect without overmixing.
- Bake: Bake for 38 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Let the bars cool in the pan for 30 minutes before serving.
These pumpkin bars are perfect for cozy fall moments and pair beautifully with a warm or creamy companion. Try them with Creamy Pumpkin Soup for a comforting seasonal match, or enjoy alongside Garlic Butter Baked Salmon for a hearty yet elegant dinner pairing. For something sweet, finish your meal with a cup of White Peach Iced Tea to refresh the palate after all that cozy spice.
Tips For Making Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese
- Use pure pumpkin puree. Trust me, this makes all the difference. Pumpkin pie filling has extra sugar and spices that can mess with the flavor and texture.
- Soften the cream cheese. Don’t skip this! Room-temperature cream cheese blends so much smoother and gives you that perfect, creamy swirl.
- Don’t overmix the batter. I know it’s tempting to keep stirring, but stop once everything’s just combined. That’s the secret to soft, tender pumpkin bars with cream cheese every time.
- Keep an eye on the oven. Start checking around 38 minutes. You want the center just set, with a few moist crumbs on the toothpick, not dry.
Recipe FAQ’s
It’s best to stick with pure pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices added, which can make your Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese too sweet and change the texture.
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They’re delicious cold, but you can also bring them to room temperature before serving if you prefer them soft.
Yes! Once cooled and sliced, wrap each bar in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to enjoy them again.
Cinnamon Cheesecake Swirl Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients
Cake Slice
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/3 cup natural sweetener/or sugar of choice
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree canned or homemade (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 cup cooking oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups plain flour I used light spelt flour, but plain or all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips
Cheesecake
- 8.8 oz packet low fat/fat free cream cheese at room temp
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons natural sweetener/sugar of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180℃ | 350℉. Grease a 8 x 8 inch pan with cooking spray; line with baking/parchment paper (to remove Blondies easier) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg, brown sugar, sweetener/sugar, pumpkin, oil, honey and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, and stir until just combined (don’t over-beat.)
- Fold through chocolate chips, set aside and make the cheesecake layer
Cheesecake
- Combine cream cheese, flour, cinnamon and sweetener/sugar in a medium sized bowl, and beat until smooth.
Assemble:
- Pour the cake batter into prepared pan and evenly smooth the top lightly with a spatula.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the top, and using the back of a knife, swirl small amounts of the blondie batter gently into the cheesecake mix until a marble effect is created on the top (not too much because you still want both layers).
- Bake for about 38 – 45 minutes (depending on your oven), or until done. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean/slightly dirty, with a few moist crumbs BUT no batter. Allow cake to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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South Africans don’t do much by way of desserts with pumpkin, only pumpkin fritters with cinnamon sugar. But these looked divine so I tried them. Easy recipe, and they taste even better than they look, and that is saying something ! Now one of my go-to recipes to impress. Thank you
I just came across this recipe. NOT being certain, but I see in the recipe, it states a 9″ x 11″ pan, most all recipes here in the states use a standard baking dish that is 9″ x 13″. Not sure if this can be used or not, for fear that the cake will have much less height. By any chance, was this an error? I’ve searched and really can’t even find a 9″ x 11″ baking dish 🙁 really would love to make these, but will need to pass if not confirmed, so THANK YOU. And P.S. I LOVE your recipes and ease to make and very delicious, so keep it up! 🙂
Absolutely lovely pumpkin bars but with only 1 tsp of baking poweder. If to use 1 table spoon as recipe says you get very soapy and impossible to eat cakes. That’s why it is probably not so many comments here. But this is definitely the recipe deserving to shine.
i love pumpkin! these look great.
They are amazing! Thank you for stopping by!
These look so decadent!! Too many choices for Thanksgiving desserts this year…(but that’s certainly a good problem to have!)
Hey thank you! I love your name btw! X
Love anything cheesecake related so I definitely would love these pumpkin slices. They look so delicious and are perfect to make for the Christmas period!
Yep. Absolutely i agree 10000%