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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Modified: Dec 12, 2021 · Published: Aug 18, 2021 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income from ads.

    Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars taste like a creamy pumpkin pie, but serve like a brownie and are the quintessential fall dessert. The velvety bars are easy to make and simple to serve. The homemade cookie crust is a chocolatey complement to the swirled cheesecake.

    Like Vanilla Cheesecake, this is a timeless cheesecake treat worthy of serving any time of year, and a delicious dessert to serve after a meal of comfort food like Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese or No Ketchup Meatloaf.

    Three baked cheesecake bars stacked on a plate.
    The perfect combination of cheesecake, pumpkin and a scratch-made chocolate crust.

    Ingredients to Have on Hand

    • Canned Pumpkin
    • Sweetened Condensed Milk, canned (not evaporated milk)
    • Pumpkin Pie Spice
    • Cream Cheese
    • Vanilla Extract
    • Cocoa Powder
    • Nilla Wafers
    Ingredients for marbled pumpkin cheesecake bars, spread out on a wooden board.
    Pantry staples plus cream cheese and Nilla Wafers combine for a delicious fall treat.
    Three pumpkin cheesecake bars stacked on a plate.

    Easy-to-Make Crust

    This recipe is unique. There's a homemade, buttery, chocolate cookie crust under the filling instead of a gingersnap or shortbread crust which are both common with pumpkin cheesecake.

    Crushed Nilla Wafers are ideal for this easy-to-make crust. Use a rolling pin to flatten the wafers in a zipped top plastic bag then combine the wafer crumbs with cocoa powder, melted butter and powdered sugar. Voila! Chocolate cookie crust.

    There's no need to line the pan with foil or parchment paper and there's no need to use shortening or Pam to prep the pan.

    The buttery crust won't stick and will scoop out of the pan just fine after the bars are baked and chilled.

    Chocolate vanilla wafer crust in a baking pan.
    The chocolate crust spreads out in a thin layer in a 13" x 9" baking pan.

    Pat-in-the-Pan Crust

    When you first place the chocolatey, Nilla Wafer crumb mixture in the pan, it may look like there's not enough crust to spread across the entire baking pan, but there is!

    Just take your time. Pat and push the crumbs to create a thin, even crust across the bottom of the entire pan.

    Three portions of pumpkin cheesecake bars on a plate with a small pumpkin and straw in the background.

    Use Pumpkin Puree

    Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. It's really easy to confuse the two, especially since they are often displayed side-by-side on the grocery store shelf and the packaging looks very similar.

    But there is a big difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling includes spices and sugar. Pumpkin puree is just that, pure pumpkin.

    Pumpkin mixture and spices in a mixing bowl next to a pan of cream cheese batter.
    Place about half the cream cheese batter on top of the crust, then blend the remaining batter in a mixing bowl.

    Use a Whole Can of Pumpkin

    Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars use a 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree and you'll use every ounce, which is great. Nothing goes to waste.

    I like to buy two cans at a time so I have pumpkin on hand any time I want to make this recipe.

    Combine the eggs and vanilla extract with the sweetened condensed milk then pour it in gradually to combine with the cream cheese mixture.

    How to Create the Marbled Effect

    Uncooked batter for pumpkin cheesecake bars in a baking pan.
    Drop the pumpkin batter onto the vanilla cream cheese batter and be careful not to blend.

    It's actually very simple to create that pretty marbled effect in these cheesecake bars and it just takes a few seconds. Watch this video to see how it's done.

    Three pumpkin cheesecake bars on a plate with straw and a miniature pumpkin ornament in the background.

    Recipe FAQs

    Is there a substitute for pumpkin pie spice?

    Sort of, yes. Pumpkin pie spice is simply a combination of five spices. If you have cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and allspice on hand you could certainly create your personal version of pumpkin pie spice.

    But to get the distinctive, warm flavor of pumpkin pie, you'll want to use that same combination of spices.

    Do these cheesecake bars freeze well?

    Yes! Just like cheesecake freezes great, so do pumpkin cheesecake bars. I recommend stacking the bars with a sheet of waxed paper between each layer.

    Place them in a zipper-top freezer bag or freezer-safe storage container. Defrost in the refrigerator for a day before serving.

    Can I use fresh pumpkin from my garden instead of canned pumpkin puree?

    I'm sure that would be delicious. Just be sure to cook and mash the peeled and seeded pumpkin until it's really soft. You'll want to replicate the texture of puree found with the canned pumpkin.

    Baked pumpkin cheesecake bars in a pan.
    Watch for a little cracking around the edges after baking, a good sign that the cheesecake bars are cooked.

    Easy to Serve

    When we think of a fall treat or a Thanksgiving dessert it's easy to gravitate to our favorite pumpkin, apple or pecan pie recipes. And those are great. But pumpkin cheesecake bars might change everything for you and your family when it comes to fall or holiday desserts.

    These velvety marbled cheesecake bars slice and serve easily. There's no filling to spill off the crust, there's not even a need for a fork.

    Pumpkin bars on a plate

    Serves Like a Brownie

    When I bake this recipe, using a 13" x 9" baking pan, I cut the bars into 24 portions. But of course, you decide how big to make each serving. I've also served these as tiny bite-size portions and that was a big hit.

    These serve just like a brownie. Just slice into bars, lift each serving using a spatula, take a bite and enjoy.

    Three portions of pumpkin cheesecake bars on a plate with a small pumpkin and straw in the background.

    More Easy to Serve Treats

    It's great to have easy-to-serve dessert ideas ready to go, here are a few more that I think you'll love!

    • Fancy Rice Krispy Treats
    • No Peel Apple Cake
    • Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Bars

    Recipe

    Three pumpkin cheesecake bars stacked on a plate.

    Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

    These bars taste like a creamy pumpkin pie and are the quintessential fall dessert. The velvety bars are easy to make and simple to serve.
    5 from 108 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24 bars
    Calories: 139kcal
    Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

    Ingredients 

    • 2 cups nilla wafer crumbs - about 60 cookie wafers or about half a bag from an 11 ounce box of wafers
    • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
    • ⅓ cup powdered sugar
    • ½ cup butter - melted
    • 3, 8 ounce packages cream cheese - softened
    • 1, 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
    • 3 eggs
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree - not pumpkin pie filling
    • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

    Instructions

    Preheat Oven and Prepare Crust

    • Preheat oven to 350° F
    • Combine nilla wafer crumbs with cocoa, powdered sugar and melted butter and press firmly into a 13” x 9” baking pan.

    Blend the Filling

    • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. In a glass measuring cup, combine sweetened condensed milk, eggs and vanilla. Gradually pour contents of the measuring cup into the mixing bowl with the cream cheese and stir gently to blend.
    • Pour half the cream cheese batter over the vanilla wafer crumb crust in the pan and set aside.
    • To the remaining cream cheese batter in the mixing bowl, add the can of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice and stir well, a whisk works great to combine everything.

    Swirl the Batter

    • Spoon the pumpkin batter on top of the first layer of batter in the pan.
      Drop the pumpkin batter by spoonfuls on top of the first layer.
      Use a table knife to swirl through each section of pumpkin batter. Gently combine it by twisting and turning the knife through the first layer of batter to create a marble effect.

    Bake, Chill and Serve

    • Bake for 45 minutes or until set.
    • Cool, then chill in the refrigerator.
    • Cut into bars and serve.

    Notes

    Reminder, there is a big difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. Store-bought, canned pumpkin pie filling includes spices and sugar. Store-bought, canned pumpkin puree is just that, pure pumpkin. It's perfect in this dessert recipe for cheesecake bars, and also good when you make Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce for dinner. 
    Calories: 139kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 87mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 329IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg

    Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database, so they’re just a rough estimate not an exact science.

    Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment below or @crinkledcookbook on Instagram, snap a photo and tag it #crinkledcookbook

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 108 votes (99 ratings without comment)

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    1. Addie says

      September 14, 2022 at 10:02 pm

      5 stars
      Way easier than a cheesecake but just as delicious! They are so creamy and smooth.

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        September 23, 2022 at 11:50 am

        Glad you loved these cheesecake bars, Addie! Thanks for the five star rating too. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Genevieve says

      September 14, 2022 at 2:02 pm

      5 stars
      Well, sign me up! These look scrumptious and perfect for all of the weekend fall baking!

      Reply
    3. nancy says

      September 14, 2022 at 12:33 pm

      5 stars
      love this marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars - super decadent and perfect for fall!

      Reply
    4. Alyssa says

      September 14, 2022 at 10:53 am

      This is seriously the best of both worlds for me!! I adore pumpkin and cheesecake is my favorite dessert. Making them asap!!

      Reply
    5. Evi says

      September 14, 2022 at 7:49 am

      5 stars
      I love how creamy these bars turned out! Easy recipe to make and looks so fancy.

      Reply
    6. James Strange says

      September 13, 2022 at 6:14 pm

      5 stars
      Mine did not turn out nicely marbled like yours (I was lazy and went with layers) but they were delicious.

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        September 14, 2022 at 12:49 pm

        Glad to hear you enjoyed these James! Taste matters most. 😉 Thanks for the five star rating!

        Reply
    7. Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says

      September 06, 2022 at 11:15 am

      Just looking at the picture made my mouth water!

      Reply
    8. Agnieszka says

      August 20, 2021 at 7:16 am

      5 stars
      These are so easy to make and absolutely delicious.

      Reply
    9. Anaiah says

      August 19, 2021 at 2:52 pm

      5 stars
      I've been looking for the perfect dessert to bring to my work potlucks and this is IT! These pumpkin cheesecake bars were soo delicious. I'm sure I'll be making it more often as fall begins to approach.

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        September 06, 2022 at 12:05 pm

        Happy to hear it Anaiah! I agree, these cheesecake bars are perfect for potlucks. 🙂 Thank you for the five star rating!

        Reply
    10. Jenny says

      August 19, 2021 at 7:52 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Turned out amazing and so delicious.

      Reply
    11. Nora says

      August 19, 2021 at 7:50 am

      5 stars
      Yum! Those cheesecake bars sound delicious! Can’t wait to try them out! Thank you for this lovely recipe!

      Reply

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