These Pumpkin Swirl Bars are a perfect fall treat. The thick cake-like pumpkin layer went perfectly with the cream cheese swirled in. And the chocolate chips, just consider them the cherry on top.
Whether you are ready for it or not, baking season is here. These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bars are just the tip of the iceberg. Thank God those oversized sweaters are popular this year because you are going to need them this holiday season with all the things I have in store for you.
Trust me, I am already feeling the calories set it.
Get Stocked up for Holiday Baking
Diggin’ It Tuesday is a little hint hint wink wink at some of the supplies you are going to want to have in your well stocked pantry for the upcoming recipes on PtS as well as any killer recipes you have planned at home.
These few secret ingredients and tools go a long way in your baking to spruce things up and add a huge kick of flavor.
- Espresso Powder Vital when you need it.
- Silpat Seriously, how did I bake before these?
- Thickening powder: This is truly magic powder for pies
- Vanilla extract By the boatload. Those little bottles aren’t anywhere near adequate.
- And for a special bonus – vanilla bean pods – no really – these are GOLD (add them too a container of brown sugar for a serious bonus subtle and yet magic flavor)
- Malted Milk Powder: Probably my favorite secret ingredient. No joke, it’s amazing.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bars
Now that your pantry is stocked and ready to go, let’s get baking! These Pumpkin Swirl Bars are fun, easy, and a big crowd-pleaser. If you really are up for planning in advance, make sure to pick up cans of pumpkin at the end of the holiday season on sale super cheap so that you can enjoy them all year round!
For now, embrace the pumpkin craze, get that mixer warmed up, and let’s do this thing!
Pumpkin Everything 😉
Looking for some more Fall Pumpkin recipes? Try these out
Pumpkin Pie Tamales
15 Minute Pumpkin Spice Krispie Treats
Bailey Pumpkin Silk Martini
If you’ve tried my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bars recipe or any other recipe on passthesushi.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow along for more good eats and travel tips on Instagram @passthesushi & @girlcarnivore, Twitter & Facebook.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Pumpkin Layer
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 teas salt
- 1/4 teas ground cloves
- 4 eggs - lightly beaten
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 15 oz pumpkin - canned
For the Cream Cheese Layer
- 4 oz cream cheese - softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda salt, and cloves. Add eggs, pumpkin, and oil. Mix until combined. Spread the batter evenly into a 13×9 baking dish.
Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl with a hand mixer until combined. Add the egg and beat until creamy.
Spoon the cream cheese over the pumpkin layer. Use a knife to swirl the mixtures together. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the bars.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 2 hours.
Slice and serve. Store leftover bars in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutritional informations provided as a courtesy and is only an approximatation. Values will changes based on ingredients used.
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Mmm, delicious. And I need to try the malted milk powder!
I’m all about stuffing with great desserts like this and big sweaters!
These are stunning. I love the pumpkin + cream cheese combo. So perfect!
Not only do I love pumpkin, but these just look beautiful!
Not a fan of espresso powder, but seriously cannot believe you only now have a silpat! Funny thing is I’ve been using my parchment paper more often because I can reuse it without needing to wash anything haha = laziness. And definitely loving malted milk powder. Took me a while to find it int he right location in the grocery but so glad I did.
Holy decadence, I need these bars, like now! They look aaaaamazing!
Those look dangerous! I cannot wait to see what else you have in store for the calorie filled baking season 😀
I totally need those big sweaters to cover up all my weight gain from eating these! And I really need to get my hands on the malted milk powder!
Oh my gosh. Is there anything better than pumpkin and cream cheese combined? These look incredible!
I need to get my hands on some of that malted milk powder. As for these bars, love them!
I can never get tired of pumpkin treats this time of the year
Mmm…these just have holiday baking written all over them!
Got me worried there for awhile …
Saw the word, “pumpkin”, gotta take a peek. Saw the bars … gotta make and eat. Saw the secret ingredients … oh no! What is clear gel powder? gelatin powder? Can I get malted milk powder here?
And then, “phew”, they aren’t used in these gorgeously delicious bars!
Kita:
I am currently waiting for these bars to come out of the oven and I hope they turn out well. In the recipe list you dont have oil but in the directions, you mention adding oil. I put in 1/2 a cup so hopefully all will be well. Can you let us know the actual amount?
thanks!!
Hi Paula! I’m sorry about that! I updated the recipe. I hope these bars come out well for you!
They were pretty good although I think I will pump them up a bit with some more spice. I am thinking a little pumpkin pie spice or maybe even a little nutmeg and maybe a bit more cloves. The 1/2 cup of oil was more than enough and they were very moist.
thanks!!
I agree – baking is SO much easier with silpats! …and malted milk just sounds good!
I love any bar that has cream cheese swirled in, I would LOVE these!
I have all of these ingredients in my pantry. Let the calorie induced coma begin! These bars look amazing.
I’ve died and gone to heaven! Loving these bars. They’re simply gorgeous. I can practically taste the creamy cheese with the spiced pumpkin cake. And I only recently learned about KAF Instant ClearJel Powder and I don’t know how I ever got by without it before.
OOhh!! I’m loving that WS Espresso Powder!!! I think that is a must have. Just beautiful photos, as always, and the recipe looks like something I would make and not really want to share with anyone…. I’m a sucker for cream cheese layers.