Name: The Best Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 16 bars
Cuisine: American

Cooking with Conks Verified

February 3, 2026

These pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars combine the autumnal flavors of pumpkin pie with the timeless velvety richness of cheesecake. They’re less challenging to make than traditional cheesecake and even easier to share. If you love pumpkin desserts but are tired of traditional pumpkin pie, make these pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars for this year’s holiday gathering and enjoy being the star of the party.

The Best Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars cover

From the Cook

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The Best Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Cooking with Conks Verified

Ingredients

WarningMilk and 5 other allergens identified

Instructions

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Prepare the Baking Dish

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish and line it with parchment. You should have enough parchment to cover the bottom of the dish with an overhang on 2 sides. This will help you lift the bars out after they’ve baked. Optional tip: secure the parchment overhang with metal binder clips.

Make the Crust

If you’re using graham cracker sheets, blitz them in a food processor until they’re fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can buy pre-made crumbs.

Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar in a food processor or bowl. Mix in the melted butter until the mixture resembles coarse, wet sand.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and press down into an even layer. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes and set aside to cool.

Make the Pumpkin Filling

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Gently mix in the egg yolk until just combined.

Make the Cheesecake Filling

In a separate, large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer, then mix in the sour cream, lemon, vanilla, cornstarch and salt. Mix in the beaten eggs until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Combine the Cheesecake

Gently fold ¾ cups of the cheesecake filling into the bowl with the pumpkin filling.

Assemble the Cheesecake Bars

Assemble the cheesecake by alternating 3 to 4 tablespoon-sized scoops of regular cheesecake and pumpkin cheesecake onto the crust (you should have about 6 scoops of each mixture), until all the filling is used up. Use a knife to gently swirl the cheesecake flavors and make a marbled effect.

Bake the Bars

Tap the cheesecake against the counter a couple of times to get any bubbles out, then bake it for about 35 minutes, or until the cheesecake is mostly set with only a slight wobble in the middle.

Rest, Chill, and Serve

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it rest on the counter until it comes to room temperature, then chill it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight for best results.

Slice the cheesecake into 16 squares (or cut them even smaller for bite-sized treats) and serve.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Graham Cracker Crust Perfection 🍪
Press the graham cracker crust mixture firmly and evenly into the pan, using the bottom of a measuring cup to create a compact, smooth base that won't crumble when cutting the bars.
Cream Cheese Temperature Trick 🌡️
Always bring cream cheese to room temperature for at least 1 hour before mixing to ensure a smooth, lump-free cheesecake batter with perfect consistency.
Swirl Technique Mastery 🌀
Create beautiful swirls by dropping spoonfuls of pumpkin mixture onto the cheesecake base, then use a toothpick or thin knife to make gentle figure-eight movements for a professional-looking design.
Moisture Control Magic 💧
Drain excess moisture from pumpkin puree by letting it sit in a fine-mesh strainer for 15 minutes to prevent a watery or soggy cheesecake texture.
Cutting Cleanly 🔪
For perfect, clean-cut bars, chill the cheesecake completely, then use a hot knife (dipped in hot water and wiped dry) to slice through the bars effortlessly.

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About the Cook

Cooking with Conks

We’re Rachel & Emily Conklin (“Conks” for short), sisters, lifelong foodies, and the voices behind Cooking with Conks. We grew up in Southern California, surrounded by bold flavors, big family meals, and the kind of kitchen chaos that turns into inside jokes