Sharing this recipe for Pumpkin Streusel Cream Cheese Bars that you will want to add to your fall baking list.
These creamy bars are made with a yellow cake mix base, a filling of cream cheese, egg, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin. It is then topped with a streusel topping and baked. This is such an easy pumpkin dessert to make and full of the flavors of fall.
I have been making other varieties of these bars for over 40 years, but just tried the pumpkin for the first time.
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Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Cake Bars
How To Make Pumpkin Streusel Cream Cheese Bars
INGREDIENTS:
(Full list of ingredients and instructions in printable recipe card)
Yellow Cake Mix
Vegetable Oil
Eggs
Pecans
Ground Cinnamon
Cream Cheese
Sugar
Canned Pumpkin (NOT PUMPKIN PIE MIX)
Vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a brownie pan (11 x 7 1/2 inches) with parchment paper.
In a medium size bowl, combine the cake mix, oil and 1 egg with a fork until combined and still crumbly. Do not over mix. Save 3/4 cup for later use. Add the pecans to the reserved cake mix.
Press the remaining mixture into bottom of the pan. Bake for 9 minutes. Remove from the oven.
In a large mixing bowl beat together the cream cheese, sugar, egg, pumpkin, cinnamon and vanilla until well combined.
Spread the pumpkin filling over the baked crust. Using your fingers, crumble the cake mix and pecans. Drop evenly over the filling.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until filling is set and topping is light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack for about 40 minutes. Carefully lift the cake from the pan by picking up the sides of the parchment paper. Set on a cutting board.
Allow the dessert to cool at least 2 hours. I set my cutting board in the refrigerator. I like to trim about 1/2 inch of the ends off to get a more even cut. Cut into desired size bars. Yields 24 (1 1/2- inch bars)
Why You Will Love These Pumpkin Streusel Cream Cheese Bars
- It is such an easy pumpkin dessert to make.
- These bars look like an elegant fall dessert.
- The recipe serves a crowd.
- They are something a little different from pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread.
Helpful Tips
- Make sure to let the cream cheese soften to room temperature. It will blend smoother with the other filling ingredients.
- Use pure pumpkin (pumpkin puree) and not pumpkin pie filling. This allows you to add the amount of spices and sugar you prefer. The flavor is also better. Pumpkin pie filling is usually more heavily spiced.
- Use a fork when combining the ingredients for the cake mix crust. Do not use a mixer. You want it to retain a crumble consistency, not a cookie dough one.
- Do not over mix the streusel topping. It should remain like coarse crumbs. I use a fork and my fingers to crumble it together.
- Cool completely before cutting into the bars. I like to set mine on a cutting board and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into bars. If you make this a day ahead of time you can cut the bars the next day. Keep the bars refrigerated until ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a spice cake mix instead of yellow?
YES. It will add more of fall type flavors.
Do these bars need to be refrigerated?
YES, because they have cream cheese in them. They will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Store in an airtight container.
Can the pumpkin dessert bars be frozen?
YES. I was making these and got a call that I needed to go out of town for. Mine were frozen for about 10 days and they tasted perfect when I thawed them out. Allow to set in the refrigerator to thaw.
I have also frozen the other dessert bars like this for up to a month. Just place in an airtight container.
This post was shared on Sweet Little Bluebird Weekend Potluck.
PUMPKIN STREUSEL CREAM CHEESE BARS
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25) oz box yellow cake mix
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs (divided between cake & filling)
- 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 11x7 inch baking pan (BROWNIE PAN) with parchment paper.
- Place the cake mix in a medium size mixing bowl. Add the oil and 1 egg. Stir the mixture together with a fork until combined and mixture is still crumbly. Save 3/4 cup of the mixture for later use. Stir the pecans into this mixture. Press the remaining mixture into the pan.
- Bake for 9 minutes then remove from the oven.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixture on medium speed, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, remaining egg, cinnamon and vanilla until well combined.
- Spread the cream cheese and pumpkin mixture over the crust. Crumble the reserved topping and drop evenly over top of the filling.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until filling is set and top crust is light golden brown. Remove from the oven.
- Set pan on a wire cooling rack and cool for about 40 minutes. Remove the cake bars from the pan by picking up the parchment paper on the side, set on a cutting board.
- Allow bars to cool about 2 hours. Cut into the size bars desired. Yields 24 (1 1/2-inch bars). Refrigerate bars until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use a brownie pan to bake these bars in. (11 x 7 1/2-inch pan). This will make them just the right thickness.
- Make sure to line the pan with parchment paper. The bars won’t stick in the pan, and it is easier to remove once baked.
- Use a fork when combining the ingredients for the cake mix crust. Do not use a mixer. You want it to retain a crumble consistency, not a cookie dough one.
