Soft and chewy pumpkin white chocolate chip cookie dough and creamy vanilla cheesecake baked together in one deliciously decadent bar!
November has arrived, which means it’s officially time to start stressing about the holidays. They’ll be here before you know it, people!
At least Thanksgiving is on the later side this year, so you still have some time. I’m just grateful that I’m only on dessert duty. Every year, I attend 2-3 Thanksgivings, which means I have to bake up at least a few different desserts. That’s why I tend to stick with easy recipes that can be made ahead. Speaking of, if you’re looking for something quick, easy, and guaranteed to please at your upcoming Thanksgiving gathering, I HIGHLY recommend these Pumpkin Cookie Cheesecake Bars!
Why You’ll Love These Bars
Perfect Balance of Cheesecake and Cookie: You truly get the best of BOTH worlds when you combine exquisitely creamy cheesecake with a soft-baked pumpkin cookie.
Fall-Inspired: I’ve seen several chocolate chip cheesecake bar recipes all over the internet, but not a pumpkin or fall-inspired recipe. These bars have the perfect infusion of fall flavors, making them a real crowd-pleaser at your next holiday gathering.
Great Make-Ahead Treat: With how busy the holidays get, make-ahead recipes are a godsend. Since these bars require some time to chill in the refrigerator, they’re best made the day before you serve them. They’re also very freezer-friendly!
Tips For Making These Bars
Line the baking dish: For easy, stress-free removal, make sure to line your baking dish with parchment paper. You’ll also want to leave extra overhang on the sides, so that you can simply pull the bars up and out of the pan after they’ve cooled. Don’t forget to grease the pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray as well.
Don’t over-mix the batter: Over-mixing cheesecake batter incorporates too much air, which is then trapped in the batter. This can cause a rapid rise as it’s baking in the oven, leading to a collapse and sunken center as it cools. Over-mixing can also result in a grainy or curdled texture, rather than a smooth and creamy texture. To prevent over-mixing, start with room temperature ingredients. This allows them to combine more smoothly, eliminating the need for vigorous whipping.
Piece the dough together: Instead of crumbling the dough on top of the cheesecake batter, flatten small portions of dough in your hands and place them evenly on top. You don’t want to cover all of the batter since you still want some of that cheesecake batter peaking through. This creates a bit of a marble effect.
Chill the bars thoroughly: Even though your bars should be set after 3 hours, I recommend chilling your bars in the refrigerator overnight. Not only does this ensure that the cheesecake filling is firm and fully set, but it also guarantees a creamier and more velvety consistency. In addition to better texture, slicing into the bars is much easier!
How do I freeze these bars?
If you’re freezing the whole thing, you can remove the entire slab of bars from the pan and wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. I’d hold off on cutting them since you want to prevent the bars from being exposed to extra air. If you want to freeze them individually, you’ll wrap each piece tightly in a piece of plastic wrap. Place the wrapped pieces into a freezer-safe ziplock bag and into the freezer. These bars can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What else would be good in these bars?
You could substitute the white chocolate chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips or butterscotch chips. You could also add toasted pecans or walnuts!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temp.
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Cheesecake Batter:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch salt
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, spices, and salt together; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add both sugars and continue beating on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg, and beat just until combined. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and continue beating. The mixture might look a little odd and curdled at this point, but this will change once you add the dry ingredients.
- Add the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in the white chocolate chips. Cover dough and keep in the refrigerator while you make the cheesecake filling.
Make the Batter:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add the egg, vanilla, and salt, beating until combined. Try not to over-mix the batter.
To Assemble:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Make sure to leave extra overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Press 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the baking pan, forming an even layer. Pour the cheesecake filling over the dough and spread out evenly. Take the remaining dough, press into thick discs, and place them on top of the filling. It's okay if some of the filling is still exposed.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and the cheesecake filling jiggles slightly when pan is shaken. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before transferring to the fridge to chill for 2 hours.
- Bars will stay fresh for up to one week stored in a plastic container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator.