Pioneer Woman Halloween Cheesecake Bars Recipe

This Pioneer Woman Halloween Cheesecake Bars Recipe is a creamy and festive recipe, which is made with a chocolate cookie crust and swirls of pumpkin and chocolate. It’s the perfect make-ahead dessert for a Halloween party, ready in about 1 hour plus chilling time.

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Pioneer Woman Halloween Cheesecake Bars Recipe Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 40 Chocolate sandwich cookies (1 lb.), such as Oreos
• 6 Tbsp. salted butter, melted

For the Filling:

• 2 lb. cream cheese, softened
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (1.5 oz.), melted and cooled

For Decorating:

• Candy corn, candy eyeballs, and Halloween sprinkles for serving

How To Make Pioneer Woman Halloween Cheesecake Bars

1. Prepare Oven and Crust: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang on the sides to use as handles.
2. Make the Cookie Crust: In a food processor, pulse the chocolate sandwich cookies until they are finely crushed. Add the melted butter and pulse again until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
3. Bake the Crust: Press the cookie crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is fragrant and looks dry. Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
4. Make the Cheesecake Filling: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the softened cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, and salt for about 1 minute until completely smooth and free of lumps.
5. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the room-temperature sour cream until well combined. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating on low speed just until each one is incorporated. Do not overmix.
6. Divide the Batter: Scoop out 1/4 cup of the cheesecake batter into one small bowl, and 1/2 cup into a second small bowl. Pour the remaining batter over the cooled crust and spread it into an even layer.
7. Flavor the Batters: Stir the pumpkin puree into the bowl with 1/4 cup of batter. Stir the cooled, melted chocolate into the bowl with 1/2 cup of batter.
8. Create the Swirl: Drop teaspoonfuls of the pumpkin and chocolate batters randomly over the plain cheesecake batter in the pan. Use the tip of a wooden skewer or a paring knife to gently swirl the colors together.
9. Bake and Cool: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is just set but still has a slight jiggle. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool at room temperature for 1 hour.
10. Chill Thoroughly: Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until completely firm.
11. Decorate and Serve: Before serving, use the parchment handles to lift the cheesecake from the pan. Decorate the top with candy corn, candy eyeballs, and Halloween sprinkles. Cut into 16 bars and serve chilled.

Recipe Tips

• How do I get a perfect swirl? The key is not to overdo it. A few gentle figure-eight motions with the tip of a skewer are all you need. Over-swirling will cause the colors to become muddy.
• How do I prevent cracks in my cheesecake? Using room temperature ingredients (especially cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs) is crucial. Also, avoid over-mixing the batter once the eggs are added, as this incorporates too much air. Letting the cheesecake cool gradually also helps.
• Why do the ingredients need to be at room temperature? Room temperature dairy ingredients blend together much more smoothly, preventing lumps in your batter and ensuring a silky, uniform texture in the final cheesecake.
• How to get a non-soggy crust? Pre-baking the crust for 10 minutes is essential. This dries it out and creates a firm base that won’t get soggy from the creamy filling.

What To Serve With Halloween Cheesecake Bars

These rich and creamy bars are a standout dessert that needs very little accompaniment. They are perfect with:

• A cup of black coffee or an espresso.
• A simple dollop of whipped cream.
• A glass of cold milk.

How To Store Halloween Cheesecake Bars

Store: These cheesecake bars must be stored in the refrigerator. Place them in an airtight container, with parchment paper between layers if you need to stack them. They will keep well for up to 3 days.

Halloween Cheesecake Bars Nutrition Facts

• Calories: ~450 kcal per bar
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 32g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Sugar: 28g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Pioneer Woman Burnt Cheesecake Recipe
• Pioneer Woman White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe
• Pioneer Woman Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies Recipe