Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Bars

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These pumpkin cheesecake cookie bars are like the pumpkin cookies stuffed with cheesecake filling, but in bar form! These have chewy pumpkin cookie base with frozen cheesecake filling in the middle with cinnamon sugar on top.

Prep Time45

Cook Time40

Chilling Time30

Total Time1 55

Servings: bars

Calories: 291kcal

Author: Stephanie Rutherford

Ingredients

Cheesecake Filling

12 oz Cream cheese room temperature
1/4 cup White granulated sugar
1 TBSP All-purpose flour
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
1 Large egg room temperature

Pumpkin Cookie

2 cups All-purpose flour
2 tsp Ground cinnamon
1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Unsalted butter melted
3/4 cup White granulated sugar
1/3 cup Light brown sugar packed
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup Pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
1 Egg yolk room temperature

Cinnamon Sugar

2 TBSP White granulated sugar
1 tsp Ground cinnamon

US - Metric

Instructions

Cheesecake Filling

In a small bowl using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes.
12 oz Cream cheese, 1/4 cup White granulated sugar
Add in the flour and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until combined. Add in the egg and mix on low speed until just combined.
1 TBSP All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 1 Large egg
Place parchment paper down and place the 9X9- inch square baking pan down on top. Use a sharpie to trace the edge of the pan.
Spread the cheesecake filling inside the square you traced. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
Freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Cinnamon Sugar

In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
2 TBSP White granulated sugar, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon

Pumpkin Cookie

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9X9- inch square baking pan with baking nonstick spray. Line the bottom and 2 sides of the pan with parchment paper. Spray again.
In a medium bowl, sift the flour. Add in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2 cups All-purpose flour, 2 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1/2 tsp Salt
Spread the pumpkin puree on a dinner plate. Use 8 sheets of paper towels (2 at a time) and press them in to soak up the moisture from the pumpkin.
3/4 cup Pumpkin puree
In a large bowl, add melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, blotted pumpkin puree, and egg yolk. Use a hand whisk to mix until combined.
3/4 cup Unsalted butter, 3/4 cup White granulated sugar, 1/3 cup Light brown sugar, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 1 Egg yolk
Add in the flour mixture and switch to a rubber spatula. Fold it in until just combined.
Split the dough in half, and press half of the dough to the bottom of the prepared pan. I used my hands to easily press it in.
Take the cheesecake layer out of the freezer and place on top of the cookie dough. If it breaks while lifting, that is fine you can just place it down anyways.
Add the rest of the cookie dough to the top, use your hands to spread it, it will be a thinner layer. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
Bake for 40-50 minutes. Bake until the edges are set and there is no jiggle at all.
Once done baking, place the cookies still in the pan on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Then, take the cookie bars out of the pan. For, best results chill the bars for at least 2 hours before serving. These need to be a cold cookie because of the cheesecake.

Notes

Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cookies.

High altitude baking- Add an extra 2 TBSP of flour.

Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.

Nutrition