Swirled Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars Recipes

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE SWIRL BARS

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease or line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color. Beat in egg and vanilla on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. On medium speed, beat in the pumpkin until combined. The mixture will look curdled; that's ok.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. Do not overmix. The mixture will be thick. Spread 2/3 of the batter evenly into the prepared pan; it will be a relatively thin layer. The rest will be added in step 5.
• In a medium bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer filled with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat on high speed until completely combined. Drop random spoonfuls on top of the pumpkin batter.
• Drop the remaining pumpkin batter on top of the spoonfuls of cream cheese. With a rubber spatula or knife, begin gently swirling the two together. Both mixtures are thick, so go slowly. Jiggle the pan back and forth to get the layers to settle into the pan. Don't worry if it looks messy; everything will come together in nice swirls as the bars bake. Sprinkle cinnamon-pepitas on top of the swirled batter.
• Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator for about 2 hours before cutting into squares. Leftover bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They're SO good on day 2!

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE BARS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375°
• 2. Spray a 9x13" baking pan with PAM or Baker's Joy. Set aside.
• 3. For filling, whisk together softened cream cheese, sugar and egg. Mix with a hand mixer until well-blended and smooth. Set aside.
• 4. For batter, combine pumpkin, sugar, egg and oil in medium mixing bowl. Mix well.
• 5. Stir in flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, & salt. Mix well to combine.
• 6. Pour batter into prepared baking dish, and spread to cover bottom of pan.
• 7. Drizzle the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Cut through the batter with a knife or spatula, to make a marbled effect w/ the cream cheese mixture. Do this a second time, going in the opposite direction [i.e., if you go side to side the first time, go up and down the second time]. When doing the marbling, be cautious and don't let your knife drag or touch the bottom of the baking dish.
• 8. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans.
• 9. Bake 25 - 28 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• 10. Cool the entire pan of bars, then cut into squares. Makes 18 squares.

SWIRLED PUMPKIN-CREAM CHEESE BARS

Steps:

• In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth.
• Beat in 2 eggs, pumpkin, and 1/3 cup water until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. In another bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg; stir or beat into butter mixture until well blended.
• Spread batter evenly in a buttered and floured 10- by 15-inch baking pan.
• In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, remaining egg, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth.
• Drop cream cheese mixture in 24 evenly spaced 1-tablespoon portions over batter.
• Pull a knife tip through filling to swirl slightly into batter.
• Bake in a 350° oven until center of pumpkin batter (not cream cheese mixture) springs back when touched, about 30 minutes.
• Let cool completely in pan, then cut into 24 bars.

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE BARS

Steps:

• Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl.
• In a separate bowl blend in the eggs and sugar, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla.
• Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
• Pour the batter into a square cake pan lined with parchment.
• Beat together all ingredients for the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Pipe over cake batter in a diagonal pattern.
• Bake for 25 minutes at 350F.