Pumpkin Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars
Rich and decadent pumpkin blueberry swirl cheesecake baked on a thick, buttery graham cracker crust. These cheesecake bars are deliciously spiced and so easy to make!
Elevate your Taste Buds
Before I list all the reasons you need to try these pumpkin blueberry swirl cheesecake bars ASAP, let me say this; I am not the hugest pumpkin pie fan (phew!). However, this recipe has changed me forever. Pumpkin and blueberries come together to create versatile flavors and different textures. All of these in the form of a rich and creamy cheesecake. The secret in this scrumptious dessert is the swirl. Besides the impressive marble effect, it mixes the different flavors in a way that every bite feels like a surprise. These pumpkin blueberry swirl cheesecake bars will bring excitement and all the fall vibes to whoever tries them.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars:
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese will provide a subtle and sharp cheese taste. Make sure to use softened cream cheese for ultimate creaminess. You may use mascarpone in place of the cream cheese.
- Greek Yogurt: I prefer using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for cheesecakes due to its thicker consistency and stronger flavor. That doesn’t mean the you can’t use the latter. Both options will work the same.
- Blueberries: Their sweet-tart notes fit perfectly the creamy pumpkin puree.You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.
- Pumpkin Puree: Don’t mistake pumpkin puree for pumpkin pie filling. The latter is already sweetened and contains all the spices found in pumpkin pie.
- Spices: It wouldn’t be a perfect Fall match without all the warm Fall spices. The recipe uses pumpkin pie spice for the crust and the pumpkin batter as well as cinnamon for a more intense fragrance and flavor.
How to Make Pumpkin Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars
Crust:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190 C). Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside. In a medium bowl mix together the Graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and pumpkin pie spice until combined. Press the mixture into the prepared pan using the bottom side of a measuring cup. Make sure, not to leave any gaps. Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool before pouring the filling (see photo 1).
Blueberry Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, add the blueberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil and then simmer in low heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. The blueberry sauce should be cooked down and have a medium thick consistency. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Let it come to room temperature.
Cheesecake Filling:
Preheat oven to 350°F (180C). Using a hand/stand mixer with the whisk attachment on, mix the cream cheese on medium-high speed until silky smooth for 5 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed for 2 more minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary. Mix in Greek yogurt, vanilla extract and salt until just combined. Add the eggs one at a time beating on low speed after each addition. Do not overmix the batter. Set aside.
Assembling Pumpkin Blueberry Cheesecake:
Gather cheesecake batter, pumpkin mixture and blueberry sauce bowls. Remove 1 and 1/2 cups of cheesecake batter and add into pumpkin mixture. Whisk until fully incorporated. Remove 1/2 cup of cheesecake batter and add into blueberry sauce. Mix well using a spatula (see photo 2).
Spoon tablespoons of cheesecake batter, pumpkin cheesecake batter and blueberry cheesecake batter interchangeably over the cooled crust until the pan is filled and you have no batter left ( see photo 3). Use a knife to swirl and spiral the batters together for an abstract marble effect (see photo 4). Be careful not to drag the knife all the way down to the crust. Hit baking pan once, on the kitchen counter to eliminate any air bubbles.
[easy-image-collage id=2895]Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cheesecake edges have set and the center is still a bit wobbly. Remove from oven and let it cool down to room temperature inside the pan. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Cut into bars or squares and serve.
Pumpkin Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake:
Don’t feel like cheesecake bars? No problem! Just use a 9 inch round pan for a classic cheesecake. Follow all the instructions as shown.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions:
You can prepare Graham Cracker crust, blueberry sauce and cheesecake batter (except eggs) one day ahead, refrigerate separately, then use the next day as instructed. Bring to room temperature before use. Pumpkin blueberry swirl cheesecake bars will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days covered airtightly.
Can I freeze pumpkin blueberry swirl cheesecake bars? -Yes. You can freeze them up to 2 months. Place the sliced cheesecake bars on a sheet of parchment paper and freeze for 1 hour. Remove from freezer, place the cheesecake bars in an airtight container and return to freezer. Thaw in the freezer before serving.
Whether you are a pumpkin pie lover or a cheesecake lover, this dessert is the perfect union of those flavors. A crunchy crust filled with a creamy, Fall spiced pumpkin filling and a sweet-tart blueberry filling. Make these easy cheesecake bars to impress your family and friends. If you decide to give this recipe a go, please share your thoughts with us and leave a comment below.
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Pumpkin Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups Graham Crackers Crumbs about 15 sheets of Graham Crackers
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter melted
- 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
Blueberry Sauce
- 1 cup Fresh Blueberries
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz Cream Cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt room temperature
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3 Eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ cups Pumpkin Puree
- 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190 C).
- Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl mix together the Graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and pumpkin pie spice until combined. Press the mixture into the prepared pan using the bottom side of a measuring cup. Make sure, not to leave any gaps.
- Bake the crust for 8 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let it cool before pouring the filling.
Blueberry Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, add the blueberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch and vanilla extract.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer in low heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. The blueberry sauce should be cooked down and have a medium thick consistency.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Let it come to room temperature.
Cheesecake Filling
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180C).
- Using a hand/stand mixer with the whisk attachment on, mix the cream cheese on medium-high speed until silky smooth for 5 minutes.
- Add the granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed for 2 more minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
- Mix in Greek yogurt, vanilla extract and salt until just combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time beating on low speed after each addition. Do not overmix the batter. Set aside.
Assembling Cheesecake
- Gather cheesecake batter, pumpkin mixture and blueberry sauce bowls.
- Remove 1 and 1/2 cups of cheesecake batter and add into pumpkin mixture. Whisk until fully incorporated.
- Remove 1/2 cup of cheesecake batter and add into blueberry sauce. Mix well using a spatula.
- Spoon tablespoons of cheesecake batter, pumpkin cheesecake batter and blueberry cheesecake batter interchangeably over the cooled crust until the pan is filled and you have no batter left.
- Use a knife to swirl and spiral the batters together for an abstract marble effect. Be careful not to drag the knife all the way down to the crust.
- Hit baking pan once, on the kitchen counter to eliminate any air bubbles.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cheesecake edges have set and the center is still a bit wobbly.
- Remove from oven and let it cool down to room temperature inside the pan.
- Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Cut into bars or squares and serve.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Crust: Instead of a graham cracker crust, you can also use crumpled up gingersnap cookies or Biscoff cookies.
- If you are using full Graham cracker sheets grind them in a food processor or place in a Ziploc bag and crush them finely with a rolling pin.
- When pressing down the mixture into the pan, make sure you do not leave any gaps or loose parts.
- Prebaking the Graham Cracker crust will prevent it from getting soggy and soft when adding the cheesecake filling.
- Blueberry Sauce: You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.
- Cheesecake Filling: Make sure you use softened cream cheese and Greek yogurt to avoid any lumps in the batter.
- Cornstarch will prevent cheesecake from cracking while baking.
- Note that ovens bake differently, so yours may take a little less or a little more time to bake.
- The cheesecake will look wobbly when you remove it from oven but it will continue cooking as it cools down.
- It is mandatory to chill cheesecake. I always chill mine overnight.
- Make Ahead & Storage Instructions: You can prepare Graham Cracker crust, blueberry sauce and cheesecake batter (except eggs) one day ahead, refrigerate separately, then use the next day as instructed. Bring to room temperature before use.
- Pumpkin blueberry swirl cheesecake bars will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days covered airtightly. You can also freeze them up to 2 months. Place the sliced cheesecake bars on a sheet of parchment paper and freeze for 1 hour. Remove from freezer, place the cheesecake bars in an airtight container and return to freezer.
- Have any questions about the recipe or want to ask for substitutions? Please contact us.
I know enough about making Cheesecakes to know that this Recipe will work, but I am interested in trying it with Butternut (or Acorn) Squash instead of Pumpkin? LOL! I will do it and see how this works later, thank you for the Recipe!