Ingredients
Method
Baking Walkthrough
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9-inch (or 8x8-inch for thicker bars) metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
- Prepare the pumpkin cream cheese swirl: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolk, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer for 2 minutes until silky smooth and lump-free. Set aside.
- Prepare the snickerdoodle dough: In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract until glossy and smooth.
- Fold in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and sea salt with a rubber spatula just until a soft, thick cookie dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Spread approximately two-thirds of the snickerdoodle cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing gently into the corners to form the base crust.
- Pour the pumpkin cream cheese mixture over the crust, spreading it into an even layer with an offset spatula.
- Drop small dollops of the remaining one-third cookie dough over the pumpkin cheesecake layer. Use a butter knife or wooden skewer to gently swirl the dough and pumpkin cheesecake together into decorative marble ribbons.
- In a small ramekin, mix 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the entire surface.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 32 to 36 minutes until the edges are golden-brown and the center is set with a very slight gentle jiggle.
- Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set the cheesecake swirl. Lift out using parchment handles and slice into 16 neat squares with a sharp knife.