Turkey Day Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

pumpkin cheesecake bars with turkey piped on top on blue plate

Turkey Day Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Creamy layers of cheesecake and pumpkin on top of a cinnamon-spiced graham cracker crust make the perfect Thanksgiving dessert

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 40

cooling 1

Total Time 1 1 20

Servings Bars

Calories 455kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

9"x13" metal baking pan

Ingredients

8 oz crushed graham crackers about 10 whole crackers
4 oz butter melted
2 teaspoon cinnamon
10 oz sugar
32 oz cream cheese room temp
4 eggs room temp
15 oz pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325ºF degrees.
Place a ½ sheet baking pan on the bottom rack and fill halfway with hot water.
Note: It is easier to pour water in the pan when it is already in the oven.
For the crust, mix the crushed graham crackers, butter and first measurement of cinnamon in a bowl and combine.
Pour into a 9x13 baking pan and firmly press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan with the flat side of a measuring cup. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Note: Be sure to press really well, this will prevent the bars from sticking to the pan.
Place the softened cream cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle attachments. Mix on low until smooth then sprinkle in the sugar and mix until combined
While mixing on low, add in the eggs one at a time, letting each one incorporate before adding the next. Then add your vanilla and mix on low until combined.
Make sure to keep your mixing on low so you don't incorporate air and scrape your bowl as needed.
Divide your cheesecake mixture in half and pour one half over your chilled crust reserving about ½ cup for the final decoration. Place your baking pan back in the freezer for 40 min or until the cheesecake layer is firm.
Add the pumpkin puree and spices to your remaining batter and mix until combined.
Gently pour the pumpkin cheesecake mixture over frozen cheesecake mixture and spread evenly, reserve ¼ cup of pumpkin batter for the turkey bodies.
Combine leftover pumpkin batter with the cocoa powder and stir to combine
Using a knife, score the top of the pumpkin layer to mark 12 even sections so you have a guide.
Put the reserved ½ cup of the cheesecake mixture into a piping bag. Snip off a small amount of the tip and can carefully pipe bulls-eye in each section. Use a toothpick to drag from the outside of the circle to the bottom center of the bulls-eye. This will make "feathers" for your turkey.
Pipe the body of your turkey, head and a little beak. Also, pipe a line around the outside of your feathers.
Place in oven and bake for 40 min or until the center is no longer jiggly. Chill before cutting and serving.

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