Swirled Pumpkin-Bourbon Cheesecake Bars

I, along with many others, are going pumpkin crazy this year, I just can’t get enough! I know this season will fly by like it always does so we have to make the most of it right? I had some left over pumpkin cream cheese in the ‘fridge so I ought to put it to good use, and why not a cheesecake bar?

Swirled Pumpkin–Bourbon Cheesecake Squares (Source Kelsey’s Apple A Day)

For crust:

about 20 gingersnaps, broken into large pieces

1/4 c. granulated sugar

3 TBSP butter, melted

1 TBSP bourbon

Cheesecake Filling:

11 oz. low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature (I used a mixture of pumpkin cream cheese and low-fat cream cheese)

1/4 c. low-fat sour cream

1/3 c. granulated sugar

1 TBSP all-purpose flour

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1 TBSP (packed) dark brown sugar

3 TBSP bourbon

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9x9x2 in. square pan with foil. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.

To make the crust: Process the gingersnaps in a food processor until very finely chopped. You should have one cup of crumbs. Combine crumbs, sugar, butter, and bourbon. Pat into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 7 minutes. Cool on a rack.

To make the filling: Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add egg, vanilla, and bourbon and beat until smooth.

Scoop 3/4 c. of the cream cheese mixture into a medium bowl and stir in pumpkin puree and brown sugar. Spoon the plain cream cheese mixture evenly over the crumb layer in the pan. Dollop pumpkin mixture on top and swirl with a fork to make a decorative design.

Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until firm in the middle when gently shaken. Cool in the pan for one hour. Chill thoroughly. To serve, lift cheesecake and foil from pan. Cut into squares.