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Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
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HAPPY WEDNESDAY PEOPLE. And, oh what a happy Wednesday it really is with these to die for (no like really), salted caramel pumpkin cheesecake bars.
Uh huh, honey, you heard me. These bars are made with a zingy gingersnap crust, silky pumpkin cheesecake, and covered in a homemade salted caramel sauce that tastes just as good as it sounds. Those three layer come together into decadent, perfectly spiced, salty sweet squares of heaven.
You in?
Let’s get to it.
Cheesecake is one of those desserts that has always seemed elusive and magical to me. You know what I’m saying? Like, how is it possibly that creamy and delicious at the Cheesecake factory? I was always so scared that my cheesecakes would turn out dense or curdled with cracked tops.
But, homemade cheesecake actually isn’t all that hard to make if you follow a few key tips! Especially when you’re making cheesecake bars smothered in thicccc homemade salted caramel sauce, which will cover any imperfections 🙂
And also taste DELICIOUS.
Tips for making silky smooth caramel pumpkin cheesecake bars:
- Use room temperature ingredients ALWAYS: This will allow everything to beat together into creamy, dreamy pumpkin cheesecake. If you do not use room temperature ingredients your cheesecake will be gross and clumpy. Use truly room temperature ingredients for the best results!
- Strain the filling: This will help to catch any extra clumps or imperfections before they make it into your cheesecake!
- Let the cheesecake cool gradually: Listen, I’m probably more impatient than you are, so I deeply understand the urge to pop your hot cheesecake in the fridge or freezer to cool it down and get down to inhaling it as soon as possible. but don’t do it. It will create condensation, which can make the top of your cheesecake weird for pouring salted caramel over.
We’re starting a fan club for these caramel pumpkin cheesecake bars. Leave us a comment if you want to join too hehe.
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- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour + cool overnight
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 16 servings
- Category: dessert
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: french
Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Starting a fan club for these salted caramel pumpkin cheesecake bars with a zingy gingersnap crust. Accepting applications to join 🙂
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour + cool overnight
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 16 servings
- Category: dessert
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: french
Ingredients
for the gingersnap crust
- 1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookies, crushed
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- pinch of salt
for the caramel pumpkin cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground all spice
- 1/3 teaspoon ground cloves
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree (1 can)
- 1/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 recipe for the best homemade salted caramel sauce
- flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9 x 9 ” pan with parchment paper on all sides.
- In a small bowl, combine gingersnap cookie crumbs, flour, salt, and melted butter. Press evenly into the bottom of the pan and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment beat the softened cream cheese with the brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the room temperature eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition.
- Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, all spice, cloves, pumpkin puree, greek yogurt, and vanilla extract. Beat for 1 more minute, until everything is combined and no clumps remain.
- Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into prepared pan. Whack the pan against a hard surface a few times to get out any bubbles.
- Bake for 1 hour or until mostly set. Open the oven door slightly, and allow cheesecake to cool (about 30 minutes) inside the oven before removing and placing on wire rack to cool completely. Once cheesecake is room temperature place in the fridge to set.
- While the cheesecake cools, make the homemade salted caramel, according to directions.* Allow to cool in fridge until thick before using, at least one hour.
- Pour the cooled caramel sauce over the cheesecake bars. Place in the fridge overnight to set completely. Slice into 16 squares and top with sea salt before serving!
for the gingersnap crust
for the pumpkin cheesecake
Notes
*You can always make the caramel sauce in advance and keep in an airtight container in the fridge until read to use!
The way the recipe is written, in regard to the gingersnap cookies, is confusing. As written 1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookies, crushed, would mean I have to measure whole gingersnaps in 1 1/2 cups, then crush them. I weighed out 12 ounces of cookies and crushed them, this made 2 1/2 cups of crushed gingersnaps. I didn’t use it all and just eye balled the consistancy. Using weight of ingredients would be helpful. And if the cookies are to be crushed and then measured, the recipe should be written this way 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies.
Straining removes a lot of the spices, is this the intent of straining the cream cheese mixture?
Also, when I’m making the salted caramel, it takes the sugar over 30 minutes to start melting on an electric stove at medium low. I turn it up to medium.
What is the reason for the using non-fat Greek yogurt instead of whole fat? Any issues you’d expect if whole-fat Greek yogurt is used?
I made these as a test run for the pumpkin cheesecake and they turned out beautifully! Brought them to a party where they were subsequently devoured.