Cheesecake Pumpkin Bars Recipe

Cream cheese topping:

1. Microwave cream cheese in a medium microwave-safe bowl in 15-second bursts, stirring until smooth but not hot. Whisk in sour cream, flour, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Set aside.

Pumpkin base:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang.

2. In a small bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin spice, and salt until well combined.

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together butter and brown sugar until completely smooth and incorporated, then whisk in egg and vanilla.

4. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Whisk in pumpkin puree and scrape sides of the bowl down again, then fold in flour mixture until no streaks remain.

5. Reserving about ½ cup of pumpkin batter, spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Spread cream cheese topping over the pumpkin batter, leaving a ½-inch border.

6. Dollop reserved pumpkin batter on top, then use a butter knife or toothpick to swirl pumpkin batter and cream cheese layers together.

7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs for about 45 minutes.

8. Let cool completely in the pan, then cut into bars and serve.