These Pumpkin Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars start with a sugar cookie crust filled with a pumpkin cheesecake filling, then are topped with more sugar cookie dough and sprinkled with cinnamon chips! The perfect combination of sweet treats for fall!
Pumpkin-flavored-everything season is finally here and I am ALL IN, y’all. Do you love pumpkin spice and all that goes with it, too? Admittedly, I’m probably more of a pumpkin decor fan than I am of pumpkin spiced foods, but it’s hard to turn down a dessert studded with all the flavors of fall, and that’s just what these Pumpkin Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars are!
I’ve made these about five times since I first came up with the idea, tweaking them a bit and then sending all my test recipes out to my hubby’s colleagues/classmates at school. I’m trying my hardest to practice moderation right now with weight loss having been my big goal for the past five months. I’m proud to say that hard work really pays off, though, and I’ve managed to lose 34 pounds as of my most recent weigh-in yesterday!
Weight loss is hard and slow going for me, especially with a baby who is totally dependent on my “mama milk.” Keeping him fed and my supply up has been priority number one, and while its been challenging, I’m happy with the results so far. I’m not one of those lucky ladies who breastfeeds and sheds all the weight without any effort. Nope, it take a lot of discipline, accountability, and salads, haha! ????
Now after all that talk of self-discipline and leafy lunches, you’re probably wondering where these Pumpkin Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars fit in! Well, I’m here to tell you that my healthy approach to life is all about moderation. I love dessert. I always have and always will, and it’s just not possible for me to give it up all together. So, I make sweet treats, portion them out, save a few for myself, then give the rest away! ????If I kept them at our house, that self-control would be a whole lot more challenging.  But food is love, y’all, so just make some, enjoy some, then share the rest. Balance is key ????
Pumpkin Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 16.5 oz package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
- 12 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/2 cup cinnamon chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper (this helps make it easier to lift the bars from the pan for cutting).
- Spread 2/3 of the sugar cookie dough into the bottom of prepared pan. Spread evenly and press down firmly to make the crust.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar and beat over medium speed with an electric mixer. Add the egg, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree and beat until smooth. Pour over the sugar cookie crust.
- Crumble the remaining sugar cookie dough in small chunks over the top of the cheesecake filling, then evenly sprinkle the cinnamon chips on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until crust is golden and edges are set. Allow to cool completely before transferring the pan to the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours (this helps the bars to set). Store bars in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Erika Shelley says
Great way to get rid of all my 1/2 bags of nut and chips from holiday baking! I obviously added everything but the kitchen sink and doubled the recipe. Turned out great! Made lots of space in my pantry now 🙂
Kushigalu says
Love the combination of ingredients in this bar recipe. So decadent and delicious.
Heidy L. McCallum says
Pumpkin Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars are the BOMB! I loved this recipe so much I wish I made a double batch. I will be making these again soon.
Alison says
I love that these are a cookie, a bar, and a brownie all wrapped in one! You can’t go wrong.