Fact: there is not nearly enough cheesecake in my life. For some reason, cheesecake is a largely overlooked dessert when I’m considering what recipe to make next. Pinterest pictures of cheesecake are always super enticing, but the actual act of making them somehow seems like too much work, even though I’ve made plenty of them before. In bar form, however, they seem much more approachable, and as often happens, when I came across this recipe the photos totally roped me in, and these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars came to be.
I’m always eager to jump on the pumpkin-everything bandwagon, but I like to enjoy my pumpkin in creative ways. I’ve secretly been harboring a desire to bake countless loaves of plain pumpkin bread because it’s just so good, but in an effort to clean up my diet a bit and to also try more adventurous and unique recipes, I’ve been gravitating towards recipes like this.
These bars aren’t complicated or difficult to make, but they are different enough than a traditional pumpkin cheesecake to give them a definitive personality all their own. I was originally skeptical of using an oreo crust with a pumpkin filling, but the pumpkin flavor here is somewhat dialed down, so the two go beautifully together. The oreos and chocolate chips on top are really just fun little extras that add welcome texture and an extra layer of flavor.
Served alongside a big glass of milk, this cheesecake is such a cozy after-dinner treat. I savored it for days, and was so sad to see the last piece go! I’m already trying to think of what my next cheesecake concoction will be… gingerbread? Chocolate? The possibilities are endless!
In other news, I’m trying to decide when the pumpkin season “ends,” and at what time it’s best to stop baking with pumpkin for the season? I figure since pumpkin pie is a regular on many Thanksgiving tables, that gives me at least until the end of the month, so I better hop on it if I’m going to use more pumpkin in 2015!
What are your favorite pumpkin (dessert) recipes?
Ingredients
- 20 Oreo cookies
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese (light is okay)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 Oreo cookies
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8-inch square pan with foil, and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Process the Oreo cookies in a food processor until a powder has formed. Pour into a separate bowl, and mix in the melted butter until well combined. Press mixture evenly into your prepared pan. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes, then allow to cool while you make the filling.
- In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and sugar, and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract, and mix again until incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Once eggs are incorporated, add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, and mix just until combined.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture evenly over the crust, and smooth to create an even layer as necessary. Chop up or crumble the remaining Oreos, and sprinkle over the filling. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the filling as well, and swirl slightly with a knife.
- Bake the cheesecake for 40-50 minutes (start checking at 40 minutes), until the cheesecake is set around the edges, but the center is still a bit jiggly. Let cool completely in the pan, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.