It might still be hot outside here in the Southeast, but fall has officially arrived! That crisp autumn air will be here before we know it. Now is the perfect time to start baking delicious holiday treats! Check out this pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe that will leave even your Jack-O-Lantern drooling!
You’ll need:
For the base:
2 sticks butter, softened
2½ cup flour
3 tsp pumpkin spice
1½ cup brown sugar
1 egg at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
15 oz pumpkin puree
For the topping:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp sugar
To make:
Preheat oven to 350.
For the topping:
In a medium/large bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla + sour cream until blended. Add flour + sugar, beat until smooth, and set aside.
For the base:
Line a 9x13” baking dish with parchment/wax paper—leave excess paper to hang over the edges. In a medium bowl, whisk flour + pumpkin. In a separate large bowl, beat softened butter until whipped, then beat in brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg + vanilla. Gradually add + beat in the flour mixture from medium bowl. Beat in pumpkin puree until combined. Spread batter in the prepared baking dish, leaving about 1 cup of the batter in the bowl. Spread on the cream cheese topping, leaving about ½” border around edges. Spoon remaining batter on top and use a butter knife to swirl through the layers. Bake about 40-50 minutes. Let cool, lift out the parchment paper, cut into bars + ENJOY!
Want to make your own pumpkin puree straight from the garden?
It’s simple! Preheat your oven to 350 + put the whole pumpkin in. Bake for 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the size. If your knife can stick into the skin, it’s ready! Let your pumpkin cool—you might cut the top off to let steam out if you’d like to save time. Cut into large chunks, remove the seeds + stringy insides. Throw your pumpkin chunks into a blender or food processor + it’s good to go!
Looking to liven up your front porch this fall? Stop by GSCO. We have all of your pumpkin + gourd needs!
* Recipe from CincyShopper.com