You know how on Friday I said that my creativity has been zapped? Well, when you have zero creativity, baking for the holidays becomes very difficult. I have been seeing all sorts of really cute and creative Halloween treats all over the web, and – I pretty much have nothing. As much as I want to fill the pages here with great ideas for the upcoming frightful holiday, you are going to have to settle for a few non-super-original-Halloween desserts. But don’t worry – they will still be tasty, and that’s what matters, right??
I actually saw these cheesecake bars in a recent cookbook that I reviewed here – America’s Favorite Food. I knew the cheesecake bars would be great on their own. You can’t really go wrong with pumpkin and cheesecake, right? But it was the cute whipped cream ghosts that got me. What an easy and fun way to dress up your dessert!! So I guess when all creativity fails you, you either hit your mom up or hit up your cookbooks!!
Festive bars are made from pumpkin cheesecake on top of a cookie crust. For Halloween, garnish with whipped cream ghosts for a ghoulish touch.
Ingredients
- 20 chocolate creme filled cookies (such as Oreos)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch baking dish with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the cookies in a food processor and process until you have fine crumbs. Add in the butter and pulse until combined. Pour out into the prepared dish and pat into the bottom of the dish with your hands. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Beat the cream cheese and the sugar in a mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy - about 2 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt just until combined.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Place the baking dish on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven. Pour water onto the baking sheet until it is nearly filled.
- Bake until the cheesecake is set at the edges and barely jiggles at the center, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firmed, at least 3 hours.
- If desired, garnish with whipped cream ghosts. Use mini chocolate chips for the eyes.
- ------------------
- from America's Favorite Food
Check out these other pumpkin cheesecake ideas:
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce from Taste and Tell
Biscoff Pumpkin Cheesecake from Mis-Cakes Oven Adventures
Pumpkin Cheesecake Chocolate Cups from Kirbie’s Cravings
Those little ghosts are adorable. You’re so creative (and patient!) to make them all
Love love love the little ghosts! How cute…and delicious! Looks like the crunch of the oreo crust probably goes so well with the cheesecake layer
I adore those ghosts! Too cute, Deborah!!!
These are darling! Who cares about creativity, you just created a life and hopefully you will be delivering soon! Wahoo!
These are adorable, I love the touch of the “ghosts” on top. Great idea!
You’ve managed to combine two of my favorite ingredients into one easy recipe. And such adorable ghosts! You’ll get your groove back…right now you are growing a baby!
OH my gosh. These are so stinking cute! Plus they look super tasty. How fun!
These are just too cute! And those bars look absolutely heavenly!
They look good to me!
I love those little ghosts! Too cute!
These are adorable! So cute for halloween.
I want to trick or treat at your house!
aw, i love the little ghosties! creativity has never been my strong suit, that’s why i LOOOVE pinterest
The ghosts are so cute!
Aww those are the cutest ghosts that I’ve ever seen! And the cheesecake doesn’t look so bad either.
Love the ghosties! They look like they’re guarding that yummy cheesecake- they’d be no match for me though. They’d disappear in a jiffy!
These are so fun. I’ve been thinking about making pumpkin cheesecake for Halloween too.
What a cute idea, I love simple ways to decorate for a holiday like this!
Love pumpkin cheesecake and these bars sounds fantastic! Love the way you presented them. Making for a perfect halloween treat.
These look equally cute and delicious!
These look amazing. You will get your creative itch back, you just have a lot going on!
[...] Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars by Taste and Tell [...]
These are just adorable Deborah! Those little ghosts are just too cute.
I’m sure these are delicious too.
the chocolate crust and whipped cream ghosts redeem these for me. i guess i just need to accept pumpkin into my life.
How cute are those ghosts!?
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They are so cute Deborah!
))
WIsh I had that much patience to do some, I’d probably eat the cheesecake before decorating it
[...] i personaggi di Halloween sono creati con marshmallows bianchi ricoperti di glassa colorata; 05. Fantasmini: su una fetta di torta alla zucca, i fantasmini sono fatti con la panna montata e gli occhietti di [...]
The ghosts are too cute! I love it!!
Love this recipe; these are so cute!!
[...] Photo Credit: Taste and Tell [...]
[...] Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars have some similar elements with my cupcakes. The only difference is the colourful and yummy-looking [...]
OOOOOH. These were good!