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    HOME » Recipes » Cookies & Bars

    Published: Sep 27, 2022 · Modified: Nov 27, 2022· This website generates income via ads ·

    Pumpkin Cream Cheese Chocolate Bars

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    This recipe makes a small batch of one of my favorite pumpkin bar recipes. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Chocolate Bars start with a layer of pumpkin sheet cake with the perfect amount of pumpkin spice flavor. Chocolate chips melted in heavy cream (ganache) and a rich cream cheese frosting mixture get spooned over the top before the layers all get swirled together and baked.

    Get your printer turned on and your recipe box handy. You're going to want to make this one of your favorite pumpkin recipes too.

    Serving platter of Pumpkin Cream Cheese Chocolate Bars.
    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients and Variations
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Recipe FAQ'S
    • Looking for More Pumpkin Desserts?
    • Equipment
    • Food Storage Tips
    • Expert Tips
    • Perfect Pairings
    • Recipe

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • This recipe makes a small batch of the best pumpkin bars ever. If you don't need a half-sheet pan of pumpkin bars, this recipe is for you.
    • This smaller amount is great for gift-giving or tucking a few in on a cookie tray or cookie exchange plate. Imagine how gorgeous they would look on your Thanksgiving dessert table.
    • I have adapted this small batch from my full-sized recipe which makes 36 bars. You can easily double this recipe in the recipe card if you need more.

    Ingredients and Variations

    Ingredient Notes

    • The ingredients for this recipe are, for the most part, household staples from the grocery store.
    • The one we really need to discuss is the pumpkin puree. Please note that you need to use pumpkin puree in this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling. They are not the same. Pumpkin puree is pure pumpkin, while pumpkin pie filling has other ingredients like pumpkin pie spice and milk. It contains too much liquid and will ruin your dessert.
    • You can substitute ¾ brown sugar for the granulated sugar in the cake batter but not in the cream cheese mixture.
    • Coconut oil would work well in this recipe.

    Full ingredients list & measurements are provided in the recipe card.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Glass baking dish sprayed with nonstick baking spray.

    Spray a 7"x11" or 8"x8" baking pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.

    Pot with cream, butter, and chocolate chips.

    Add chocolate chips butter and cream to the heavy-bottomed pot.

    Saucepan with melted chocolate ganache.

    Over low heat stir constantly until the chocolate chips are completely melted.

    Mixing bowl with hand mixer beating cream cheese.

    In a small bowl beat cream cheese until smooth.

    Mixing bowl with whipped cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.

    Add ¼ cup of sugar and the vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth.

    Bowl with the beaten cream cheese mixture with an egg added.

    Add one of the eggs to the mixing bowl with the beaten cream cheese mixture.

    Mixing bowl with pale yellow beaten cream cheese mixture.

    Beat on low speed until just combined. Do not over mix.

    Dry ingredients (flour, remaining sugar, cinnamon, baking powder. baking soda & salt) in a mixing bowl.

    In a bowl add the flour, remaining sugar, cinnamon, baking powder & soda & salt.

    Whisking the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

    Whisk the dry ingredients to combine completely. Set flour mixture aside.

    Mixing bowl with pumpkin puree, eggs, and oil.

    To another bowl add the pumpkin, oil, 2 eggs, and oil.

    Whisking the pumpkin puree mixture.

    Whisk the pumpkin mixture until well combined and smooth.

    Bowl with dry ingredients and pumpkin puree mixture.

    Add the pumpkin puree mixture to the dry ingredients.

    Bowl with whisk beating the wet and dry ingredients together.

    Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until smooth.

    Prepared baking dish with pumpkin cake batter inside.

    Layer the pumpkin cake batter into the baking dish and smooth the top.

    Baking dish with cake batter topped with alternating dollops of cream cheese mixture and chocolate.

    Spoon the cream cheese mixture and chocolate ganache over the top.

    Baking dish with swirled layers of cake, cream cheese, and chocolate.

    Use a thin spreader or knife to swirl the layers to create a pretty pattern.

    Baked and cut Pumpkin Cream Cheese Chocolate Bars on serving plate.

    Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and firm.

    Plate with pumpkin bars with dusting of powdered sugar.

    Cool in pan to room temperature, cut into bars, and dust with powdered sugar.

    Recipe FAQ'S

    Should you refrigerate pumpkin bars?

    All pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting (or any type of dairy in the recipe) should be refrigerated. Pumpkin bars made with sugar can typically be left overnight on the counter. I like to store all my pumpkin bars in the refrigerator to give them a longer life span and concentrate the flavors and texture.

    Looking for More Pumpkin Desserts?

    Fall is all about desserts like these, with great pumpkin flavor.

    Wire rack with pumpkin oatmeal cookies.

    Pumpkin Pie Spiced Oatmeal Cookies

    Plate with pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

    New Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

    Equipment

    • Hand mixer or stand mixer
    • Large mixing bowl
    • Small mixing bowls
    • Baking pan 7"x11". You can use an 8"x8" square pan, but the bars will be taller and more cakelike.
    • Saucepan
    • Whisk

    Food Storage Tips

    Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Freeze for several months. We actually preferred the flavor and texture the next day after chilling in the fridge.

    Expert Tips

    • The expert tip I want to share concerns the swirl. To achieve a smooth beautiful swirling of the layers, use something without a point like a knife. A thin offset spatula or something like my beautiful aged butter knife works the best. Stick the implement down through all layers and drag it around in a pattern you like. The colors, especially the pumpkin cake orange, will pop when baked.

    Perfect Pairings

    My spouse and I devoured a batch of these over a couple of days time. We accomplished it by having a couple of pumpkin bars with every cup of hot coffee we drank. I can say for sure that this is absolutely the best pairing. I suppose a Pumpkin Cream Cheese Chocolate Bar with a glass of wine would be a lovely too, but we can drink more coffee than we can wine. If you love pumpkin muffins you will love my latest recipe, Bakery Style Muffins for Two.

    Recipe

    Pumpkin Cream Cheese Chocolate Bars

    This recipe makes a small batch of one of my favorite pumpkin bar recipes, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Chocolate Bars. A layer of pumpkin cake batter is topped with dollops of a cream cheese mixture and chocolate ganache then the layers are swirled together and baked.
    4.90 from 57 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Cooling 20 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
    Course
    Dessert
    Servings 18

    Equipment

    • Hand mixer or stand mixer
    • Large mixing bowl
    • Small mixing bowl
    • Medium mixing bowl
    • Saucepan
    • Whisk
    • 7" x 11" baking pan You can use an 8"x8" and the bars will be slightly taller and more cakelike.

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • ½ tablespoon butter
    • 4 ounces cream cheese
    • 1 cup sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 cup flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup (scant) pumpkin puree
    • ½ cup vegetable oil

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheet with baking spray or line with parchment paper.
    • In a small saucepan heat the chocolate chips, cream, and butter over low heat stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool and thicken slightly.
    • In a medium bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth.
    • Add ¼ cup of the sugar and the vanilla. Beat on medium until smooth.
    • Add one egg and beat on low until just combined. Set aside.
    • In the large mixing bowl add the flour, the remaining sugar, the baking powder, the baking soda, cinnamon, and the salt. Whisk until combined.
    • In the medium bowl whisk to mix the pumpkin, the remaining egg, and the oil until smooth.
    • Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth and the flour is all moistened. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
    • Alternately spoon the cream cheese mixture and the chocolate mixture in dollops over the top of the pumpkin mixture in the pan.
    • Using a thin offset spatula or butter knife swirl through the batter slightly to marble.
    • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set. If you used an 8"x8" pan you will need a bit more baking time and may need a foil tent over the top towards the end of the baking time to prevent over-browning.
    • Cool in the pan on a wire rack. When completely cooled and set cut into bars with a sharp knife. Store in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1barCalories: 197kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 81mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 2218IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg

    Approximate nutrition information is provided as a convenience and courtesy only. You are encouraged to do your own calculations if precise data is required.

    We take every effort to ensure that the estimated meal cost per serving is accurate. We use a meal cost analysis application that estimates the cost of a recipe based on groceries purchased at a Walmart store in my geographical area, northern California.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Amy Liu Dong says

      November 28, 2022 at 5:35 pm

      5 stars
      Such a delicious and easy treat to make for my kids this weekend.
      I am sure they will love this!

      Reply
    2. Amy Liu Dong says

      November 27, 2022 at 5:04 pm

      5 stars
      I love how easy and delicious this recipe is.
      Such a perfect treat to make for the kids, yum!

      Reply
      • Mary says

        November 27, 2022 at 5:57 pm

        Thanks. I am making them again tomorrow to take to a sweet neighbor of mine. I am glad you liked them.

        Reply
    3. Meredith says

      November 27, 2022 at 1:03 pm

      4 stars
      The step-by-step pictures and the actual recipe are slightly different. (For example, 3 eggs in the pictures vs 2 eggs in the numbered recipe.) The recipe calls for cinnamon, but is not included in the numbered directions.

      I made this recipe in an 8x8 dish. I had to cook it a bit longer than the directions said with foil overtop towards the end. Overall, this recipe is fine, but it’s definitely more of a cake than bars.

      Reply
      • Mary says

        November 27, 2022 at 3:42 pm

        Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I made a couple of changes including photoshopping the extra egg out of the picture. I had a carton of small local eggs that day. Sorry for any frustration on your part.

        Reply
    4. Addie says

      October 06, 2022 at 8:59 pm

      5 stars
      Chocolate and pumpkin is one of my favorite combos! These are insane!

      Reply
    5. Stephanie says

      October 04, 2022 at 6:13 am

      5 stars
      These are just amazing! Great instructions - we gobbled these up.

      Reply
    6. Helen at the lazy gastronome says

      September 28, 2022 at 4:19 pm

      5 stars
      These treats are not only festive, they are delicious! I’ll be making these again!

      Reply
    7. Oscar says

      September 28, 2022 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! I love this season just for all the pumpkin recipes. These pumpkin cream cheese chocolate bars were deelish! Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    8. Evi says

      September 28, 2022 at 7:14 am

      5 stars
      I am making these bars this weekend for my goddaughter's birthday party! I love the layer of pumpkin sheet cake!

      Reply
    9. Jere Cassidy says

      September 27, 2022 at 7:09 pm

      5 stars
      I am so glad to find recipes for smaller amounts. These bars are just totally decadent and you are right, they go with coffee. However, for the next batch I am going to pair the bars with some Moscato.

      Reply
    10. The Sudden Cook says

      September 27, 2022 at 6:14 pm

      5 stars
      Niceeeeeeee - will be trying this out soon. Am sure the kids would enjoy it.

      Reply

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    I am Mary, the blogger behind "Oh That's Good!" I am a former nurse, former hobby farm blogger, former vintage shop owner, and current food blogger. I live with my husband and our little mutt Tucker in a lovely retirement community. I am cooking for two and taking inspiration from old cookbooks, magazines, and memories of watching my mother and grandmother cook. I like reducing my food waste and exorbitant grocery bills! I am busy rewriting my recipes for two servings with the option of adjusting the recipe up to four or six servings with just one click.

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