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Salted Caramel Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

These pumpkin cheesecake bars are a texture lover’s dream with a crisp brown sugar-graham cracker crust, a soft yet dense pumpkin cheesecake layer, and gooey soft salted caramel swirls the run like a river over the surface. 

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Chill Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 259 kcal
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Crust
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • pinch salt optional and to taste
Filling
  • 1 large egg
  • 6 ounces cream cheese at room temperature and very soft (light is okay, micro for 10-15 seconds if you forgot to set it out to soften)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • heaping 1/3 cup pumpin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice if you don’t have it, add pinches of cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • heaping 1/3 cup salted caramel sauce (don’t ise ice cream sauce that’s made with corn syrup as the first ingredient because it’s too thin; thicker is better or make homemade salted caramel

Instructions

For the crust:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat over to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
  3. Add all remaining crust ingredients and mix with a fork to combine.
  4. Turn loose crumbs out into prepared pan and using a spatula, pack mixture firmly into pan in an even, smooth, flat layer; set pan aside.
For the filling:
  1. In the same mixing bowl (no need to wash it), combine egg, cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and whisk until smooth and combined, or beat with an electric mixer. The softer the cream cheese is, the easier the mixture comes together.
  2. Add the flour and mix to just incorporate; don’t overmix.
  3. Pour filling over crust.
  4. Drizzle salted caramel sauce over batter to create swirls. To create the marbled pattern shown, drizzle caramel over batter in 5 wide, evenly spaced, parallel lines, each spanning the length of the pan. Like 5 rows of long train tracks. Rotate pan 90-degrees. With a toothpick, starting at the top of the pan, “draw” 5 evenly spaced lines through the caramel. You’re dragging the toothpick perpendicularly through the first set of lines to create the marbling.
  5. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until center is set with very little jiggle; some looseness and a very slight jiggle is okay, but there should not be sloshing in the center. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
  6. Allow bars to cool in pan for about 1 hour before lifting out with foil overhang and slicing. I prefer to serve these bars chilled. Cover the pan with foil to prevent fridge smells, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, or until chilled before slicing and serving. 

Notes

  • Storage: Bars will keep airtight in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 259kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 31g (10%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Cholesterol 52mg (17%) Sodium 116mg (5%) Sugar 25g (50%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 259

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 259kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 31g 10%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Cholesterol 52mg 17%
Sodium 116mg 5%
Sugar 25g 50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.