Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars
User Reviews
4.7
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars
Description
This recipe starts with a spiced pumpkin batter featuring canned pumpkin, sugar, egg, vegetable oil, flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. The filling combines softened cream cheese with sugar, egg, and vanilla extract for smooth sweetness. After pouring the batter into the pan, cream cheese dollops are distributed on top and marbled by swirling with a knife to give a distinctive pattern and blend of flavors without mixing completely.
Baking until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean produces moist bars with a tender crumb and creamy pockets from the cream cheese swirl. Chopped pecans are sprinkled on top before baking for added texture and nutty notes. These bars are convenient for cutting into portions and refrigerating due to the cream cheese content and can be enjoyed as a dessert or sweet snack with a mild pumpkin spice aroma.
A substitution for pumpkin pie spice is included in the notes, with a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice, accommodating those who do not have the standard blend on hand.
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 (8 ounce package) cream cheese softened
- 1/4 /4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 /2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Batter:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree canned
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/3 /3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 /2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see Note for substitution)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 /2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 /2 teaspoon salt
- pecan chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Spray a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- For the filling: With a hand mixer blend together softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
- For the batter: Combine the pumpkin, sugar, egg and oil in medium mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Stir in flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to combine.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish, and spread to cover bottom of pan.
- Add dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Cut through the batter with a knife to make a marbled effect w/ the cream cheese mixture in an up and down pattern. Repeat going the other way. When marbling make sure you don't go all the way to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans if desired.
- Bake for 25 - 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool an cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- If you lack pumpkin pie spice, mix 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon allspice as a substitute for 1 1/2 teaspoons in the recipe.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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