Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars are rich, decadent and so delicious. A fudgy pumpkin chocolate chip base is topped with a creamy cheesecake layer studded with more chocolate chips.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
For the base, I adapted a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe, using brown sugar and less leavening, so it would be richer and more fudgy. I topped it with an easy to make cheesecake batter and added chocolate chips to both the base and the cheesecake topping. This adds a fabulous texture and chocolatey deliciousness to the bars.
I made these the day before and put them in the fridge with a big Do Not Eat sign on them. There was a little bit of grumbling from my boys about me not making them for them to eat. Fortunately, there were a couple of bars left, so I brought them home and my oldest son devoured them and declared them really good. I loved them too. I’ll have to make another pan again soon.
Ingredients
- Flour
- Pumpkin Spice
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Pumpkin Puree
- Egg
- Chocolate Chips
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 9-by-9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on ends.
- Prepare cheesecake layer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in 1 egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree . Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips.
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Spread cream cheese mixture over pumpkin batter. Sprinkle with ½ cup chocolate chips.
- Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and cheesecake is set, about 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
- Lift bars from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 16 squares.
Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer to eat them within a day or two but they do freeze decently compared to other cheesecake bars.
Yes! I made mine the day before and they tasted great the next day. Just be sure to put a not of them so no one digs in until you want them too!
Cream cheese that is at room temperature tends to be creamier when it is mixed. If you need to get cream cheese to room temp quickly, simply remove the packaging and put the cream cheese in the microwave for 15 seconds.
More Recipes
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie
- Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
If you’ve tried this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars or any other recipe on Barbara Bakes, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips divided
Cheesecake Layer
- 1 package 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on ends.
- Prepare cheesecake layer: In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add 1 egg and flour and beat until blended; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in 1 egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips.
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Spread cream cheese mixture over pumpkin batter. Sprinkle with ½ cup chocolate chips.
- Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and cheesecake is set, about 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
- Lift bars from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 16 squares.
Nutrition
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars are a yummy recipe that tastes like everything fall. They are worth the few extra steps to make because they are rich and tasty.
Rehoboth
Excellent post
Thanks
Tina
Which type of sugar are you supposed to use at which step? And which step are you supposed to use the room temperature egg as opposed to the other egg? The instructions don’t specify this.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Tina – the heading for the cheesecake layer was missing. I’ve added it back in. Enjoy!
Caroline
Are you able to bake these in an 8×8 pan? Thanks!
Barbara Schieving
Hi Caroline – you could bake them in an 8×8 pan but the cook time may be different, so just check them earlier but they may also need more time. Don’t fill the pan more than 2/3’s full. You could also bake them in a 9×13 pan, but the time will be less and they’ll be shorter.
Caroline
Thank you, Barbara! I really appreciate your quick reply. I’m eager to try this recipe out tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving!
Cecret
Hi Barbara-
Thank you for this recipe. I made the bars for a work potluck. These were very good, had a great texture, and were easy to make. The large chocolate chips were a little bit of a nuisance to cut through; did you have that problem? Maybe mini chips would make it easier to cut. Regardless, they were a big hit. Add this to the long list of recipe successes that you have provided!!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Cecret – so glad they were a big hit. I love that you have a long list of successes with my recipes. That’s such a wonderful compliment. I always use a long serrated knife to cut bar cookies. I run the knife under hot water, dry it, then cut one row, then I put the knife under hot water again and repeat with each row. It helps make cutting the bars easier. I prefer the big chunks of chips, but you’re right, mini chips would make it much easier to cut.
Cecret
Thanks, Barbara. I did use the warm serrated knife and that does help. By the way, I have kept them tightly covered in the refrigerator for two days (what’s left of them anyway) and they haven’t dried out. I am modifying the recipe a bit this weekend by adding melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and adding the chocolate chips just to the batter 🙂
Dini @ giramuks kitchen
These look wonderful!! My first halloween in the US and I love the pumpkin in everything 🙂
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles
Oooooo…perfectly yummy. Love the pumpkin + chocolate + cream cheese!
Emily
These look really, REALLY good! YUM!
Alex Chambers
Looks so yummy! 🙂 Can’t wait for Halloween, I’ll try this very very soon in my kitchen… Thanks Barbara for this all in one recipe…