It’s less than 5 days until Thanksgiving and we’re getting serious up in here. Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are on the blog and it’s very exciting.
One of the things you guys requested this holiday season was make ahead items for the thanksgiving table. Dessert is one of those things you can whip up ahead of time so you’re not worried about it the day of. To be honest, you could make this Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake 4-5 days ahead of time and be fine! Just keep it frozen until the day before and then let it come to room temp before serving.
Let’s break this down shall we? It’s an oreo crust that’s so good you could eat it on it’s own. Then a super easy pumpkin cheesecake that gets swirled with a chocolate mixture to create this marbled topping. Who wouldn’t want this as the pièce de résistance for Thanksgiving dinner! Sure you could serve it up with a pie, or apple crisp, but you could also serve it up solo and people would be pumped!
PS – are you thinking of putting this on your Thanksgiving menu? Check out the full What’s Gaby Cooking menu here along with the master prep schedule to keep things organized and on track!
Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 9 ounces Oreo Cookies
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the filling
- 16 ounces plain cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces dark chocolate chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
- In a food processor, blend cookies until finely ground, add butter, and pulse until moistened.
- Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan, and press gently into bottom. Bake until fragrant and slightly firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Place cream cheese in food processor; blend until smooth. Add sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, flour, pumpkin-pie spice, and salt; process until combined. Set aside.
- Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until melted. Add 1 cup pumpkin mixture; stir to combine. Set aside.
- Pour remaining pumpkin mixture into prepared pan. Drop dollops of chocolate mixture onto pumpkin mixture; swirl. Bake until cheesecake is set but jiggles slightly when gently shaken, 40 to 50 minutes.
- Cool in pan. Cover; chill until firm, at least 2 hours (and up to 2 days). Using overhang, transfer cake to work surface. With a knife dipped in water, cut into 16 squares. Serve.
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Prop Styling by Gena Sigala // Recipe by What’s Gaby Cooking
How can you go wrong with chocolate and pumpkin!
OMG. Oreo crust?! these look insanely good.
I have never been a pumpkin pie fan, so this is a perfect alternative for the Thanksgiving. I can’t wait to dig into this!
I just can’t even, O-M-G!!!! These are so entirely crave worthy!
Oh, wow! This looks amazing!
How many cookies make 9 ounces?
20 whole oreos
Yuuuum alert. I could eat these every single day! So perfectly sweet and soft. Need to make these soon!
Making these for Thanksgiving this year! Question on the Oreos…do you grind up the whole oreo (with cream)? Or do you just use the cookie part?
just the cookie part!
I did the whole cookie and turned out fine. Had no idea you were supposed to do just the cookie! Also, do these need to be refrigerated until they’re eaten? Serving them tomorrow.
they are great either way!! and yes – keep in fridge
what size can of pumpkin? Thanks!
15 ounce!
Recipe says 1 cup of pumpkin but then 15 oz can is mentioned in the comments. Which is it?
Can I use a square glass dish instead of a pan? If so, do I need to line it?
you can! and yes – line it!
Wanted to serve this as more of a pie/cheesecake so was going to bake in a round glass pyrex. How would you adjust the cooking time?
haven’t tested it that way so I can’t say for certain
These look absolutely delicious. Not sure if I can wait for Thanksgiving to try them!!
Hi,
I’m a french fan if your recipes! Can you tell me which mix of Spices do you use when you say pumpkin pie Spice. In France we have 4 spices mix or mix for Spice cake.
Thanks !
Yann
It is generally a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice
I saw that you can chill for up to two days. I made mine Monday night can I have to chill one more day or do I have to cut it up and freeze it tonight and then dethaw it tomorrow to serve?
you’ll be good to go! just leave it in the fridge
Hi Gaby, can I use the same 9 inch pan that I used for your Slutty Brownies?
Made the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow merengue for Thanksgiving. Family went nuts. Thank you for the recipe and Happy late Thanksgiving to you and yours.
yes you can!!
Can this recipe be doubled? Need to serve a large crowd 🙂
yes but make it in 2 separate baking pans otherwise the timing will get messed up
What kind of dark chocolate?
personal preference! anything works
Wondering if i can use chocolate wafers ( in yellow box) instead of oreos. I can’t imagine having to scrape the cream out of the middle of all the cookies ! This recipe sounds amazing
you sure can