Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Bars: How to Marble Them and When They're Done

We make the same spiced pumpkin cheesecake swirl two ways: through fudgy brownies and through brown sugar blondies. Both recipes ask you to take the pan out while the middle still looks a little underdone, then wait before cutting. Here is why, and how to get a swirl that looks like the video.

The swirl is a small cheesecake

In both our Gooey Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies and our Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Blondie Bars, the swirl is 8 oz of cream cheese beaten with pumpkin puree, sugar, one egg and pumpkin pie spice. That makes it a baked custard, like a cheesecake. The egg is what sets it.

Egg-set fillings have a narrow sweet spot. Pull them too early and they are loose. Bake them too long and they turn firm and dry, and can crack. That is why both recipes tell you to stop while there is still some softness in the middle, and let the pan finish the job.

Pumpkin is mostly water, so measure it

Canned pumpkin puree is about 90 percent water. That moisture is part of why these bars stay soft and gooey, but it is also why you should not add extra. More pumpkin loosens the cheesecake mixture, so it spreads and sinks into the batter instead of sitting in ribbons, and it takes longer to set. The brownies use 1/2 cup; the blondies use 1/3 cup. Stick to the measure.

Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and the recipes add their own sugar and pumpkin pie spice.

Start with soft cream cheese

Cold cream cheese leaves small lumps, and once the pumpkin and egg go in, you cannot beat them out. Leave the block on the counter until it gives easily when pressed. Beat the cream cheese by itself until it is smooth first, then add the pumpkin, sugar, egg and spice.

How to marble it

1. Spread the batter in the lined pan. For the brownies, hold a few spoonfuls of batter back.
2. Dollop the pumpkin cheesecake over the top in spaced spoonfuls, rather than one big pour.
3. For the brownies, drop the reserved batter in the gaps, so there is chocolate on the surface too.
4. Drag a knife through in a few long passes, up and down, then across. Then stop.

Swirling is the step most people overdo. Every extra pass blends the two layers a little more, and after a dozen strokes you get an even tan instead of orange and brown ribbons. Four to six passes is plenty. The pattern will soften slightly as it bakes, not sharpen.

How to tell when they are done

A toothpick will not help you here. It comes out creamy from the cheesecake and crumby from a fudgy brownie even when both are perfectly baked. Go by the edges and the wobble instead.

• Brownies: 25 minutes at 350°F in an 8x8 pan. The edges are set, and the center still looks slightly underbaked.
• Blondies: 35 to 38 minutes at 350°F in a 9x9 pan. The edges are set and golden, and the swirl is just set with a little softness in the middle.

Give the pan a gentle nudge. The middle should wobble slightly as one piece, like set jelly, not ripple like liquid.

Why they need to cool before you cut

The bars keep cooking from the heat stored in the pan for a while after they come out, which is how the soft center finishes setting. Then, as they cool, the butter and cream cheese firm up, and a pan that looked underbaked turns into bars that hold a clean edge. Cut them warm and the center smears across the knife.

Our brownie recipe says to cool completely before slicing. The blondies go one step further: cool completely, then chill for an hour for the cleanest cuts. For bakery-neat squares:

• Lift the whole slab out by the parchment sling before cutting.
• Use a long, sharp knife and press straight down rather than sawing.
• Wipe the blade clean between cuts. Dipping it in hot water and drying it makes each cut cleaner still.

If you only have a different pan

An 8x8 pan is 64 square inches. A 9x9 pan is 81, about a quarter larger. The same batter in a bigger pan comes out thinner and bakes faster; in a smaller pan it is thicker and takes longer. If you swap, start checking early or late accordingly, and go by the edges and the wobble rather than the clock.

Store them in the fridge

With cream cheese and egg in the swirl, leftovers belong in the fridge, covered. They cut even more cleanly cold.

Looking for a cheesecake that skips the oven? Our Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bites have no egg at all. They set from whipped cream folded into the cream cheese and 2 to 3 hours in the fridge, which is also why they keep 3 days covered and should stay cold.