Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9 inch metal baking pan with non stick spray and line it with parchment paper.
Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until they resemble fine crumbs.
14 (210 g) graham crackers, full sheet
Then add in the melted butter and brown sugar and pulse until combined.
1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted, 2 tbsp (28 g) light brown sugar
Tightly press the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to make this easier.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch together with hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and free of lumps, about 2 minutes.
24 oz (680 g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature, 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar, 3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch
Add in the pumpkin puree, sour cream, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice and mix on medium-low speed just until combined.
3/4 cup (183 g) canned pumpkin puree, at room temperature, 1/4 cup (62 g) sour cream, at room temperature, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Add the eggs to the pumpkin mixture and mix on medium-low speed just until combined.
3 eggs, at room temperature
Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan with the crust. Bake for 42-45 minutes, just until the center only has a slight jiggle. Then turn the oven off and prop the oven door open for 10 minutes using a wooden utensil.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Then transfer it to the fridge and allow it to chill in the fridge for 6 hours, or until completely cold. (I usually bake it the night before and allow it to chill overnight.)

About an hour before you're ready to serve the cheesecake bars make the frosting.
Add the butter to a pot and heat it over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and come to a simmer. Simmer until the butter is foamy, giving off a nutty scent and has browned. The whole process should take about 4-5 minutes. Remove the butter from the heat and transfer it to a small bowl. Pop it in the fridge and allow it to cool completely until it is solid but still malleable.
3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter
Then add the brown butter to a mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
Then add in the cream cheese and mix on medium speed until combined.
6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
Sift in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined, then on high speed for 1 minute or until the frosting is fluffy.
2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar

Once the cheesecake is cold, pull up on the parchment paper to carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan. Transfer to a serving plate or board.
Spread the frosting onto the cheesecake with an offset spatula, then swirl the frosting with the back of a spoon.
Drizzle salted caramel sauce over top and gently swirl it on top of the frosting with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top and dust with extra pumpkin pie spice if you wish.
chopped pecans for sprinkling (optional), extra pumpkin pie spice for dusting (optional), 1/4-1/2 cup salted caramel sauce for topping (optional)
Cut into 16 squares using a hot knife. Run the knife under hot water then wipe it with a towel. Do this before making each cut. This will allow you to make clean, pretty cuts.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pumpkin, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake bars, pumpkin dessert, pumpkin recipe