Pumpkin Churro Cheesecake Bars
Par-baking the crust is the whole reason these read as churro rather than plain cheesecake — a buttery press-in base bakes until crisp, then gets brushed with butter and showered in cinnamon sugar so the coating stays crunchy instead of dissolving into the filling. Room-temperature cream cheese beaten gently and a low 325°F bake keep the pumpkin custard silky and crack-free, and the slow cool-down plus a four-hour chill is what turns it into bars that slice clean. One pan, one afternoon of mostly hands-off baking, and a dessert that needs nothing more than an extra dusting of cinnamon sugar to serve.
Dessert · American, Fall, Pumpkin, Baking • 1 hr 20 min + 4 hr chill
Nutrition (per serving)350Calories·21gFat·34gCarbs·5gProtein
Per serving. Values are approximate and calculated from USDA FoodData Central.
Ingredients
- For the churro crust:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the cinnamon-sugar coating:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- For the pumpkin cheesecake filling:
- 24 ounces (3 blocks) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
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Steps
- Preheat the oven and prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides for lifting, and lightly coat the exposed edges with nonstick spray.
- Make the churro crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and vanilla and stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly moistened and clumps when pressed. Tip the crumbs into the prepared pan and press into an even layer, using the flat bottom of a measuring cup to pack it firmly.
- Par-bake the crust: Bake until the edges are golden and the surface is set and dry to the touch, 14 to 16 minutes. The crust must be fully baked before the wet filling goes on top, or it will turn soggy. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Coat the hot crust: Stir together ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl. While the crust is still hot, brush it all over with the 2 tablespoons melted butter, then sprinkle generously and evenly with the cinnamon sugar. The heat pulls the butter into the crust so the coating sticks and stays crisp rather than soaking into the base.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth and free of lumps, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Beat in the pumpkin purée, sour cream, and vanilla on low speed until just smooth.
- Add the eggs and dry ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing just until each disappears — overbeating once the eggs are in is what causes cracks. Sift the pumpkin pie spice, salt, and 1 tablespoon flour over the bowl and mix on low just until no streaks remain.
- Bake: Scrape the filling over the cinnamon-sugar crust and smooth the top. Bake at 325°F until the edges are set and the center jiggles only slightly when the pan is nudged (about a 2-inch circle in the middle should wobble), 35 to 40 minutes; an instant-read thermometer in the center should read about 150°F.
- Cool gradually to prevent cracks: Turn off the oven, crack the door with a wooden spoon, and let the bars cool inside for 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate until fully chilled and set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Slice and serve: Use the parchment overhang to lift the block onto a cutting board. For clean slices, dip a sharp knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts. Dust with a little extra cinnamon sugar just before serving, if you like.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
These bars are at their best made a day ahead — the chill is what sets the filling, and the cinnamon-sugar crust stays crisp. Bake, cool, and refrigerate up to 2 days before serving, keeping the pan covered so the surface doesn't pick up fridge odors. The cinnamon-sugar coating goes on before baking, so there's nothing to fuss over the day of.
Storage
Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The crust softens slightly after the first day but stays pleasantly firm. For longer storage, cut into bars, wrap individually in plastic, and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Dust with fresh cinnamon sugar to revive the churro crunch.
Substitutions
Swap the pumpkin for canned butternut squash purée (same amount) for a milder, less-sweet filling. No pumpkin pie spice? Use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. For a graham-cracker base instead of the churro crust, use 2 cups graham crumbs with ½ cup melted butter and skip the par-bake's cinnamon sugar, then bake the same way. For a dairy-free version, plant-based cream cheese and a thick coconut-based sour cream both work, though the bars set slightly softer. Don't use pumpkin pie filling — it's pre-sweetened and spiced and will throw off both the sweetness and the set.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 of 16 bars
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
