Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep the oven and pan
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch pan.
- Visually confirm the pan is coated so the bars release cleanly after chilling.
Make the pumpkin batter
- In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and pumpkin puree until smooth.
- Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture just until evenly combined, with no visible dry flour pockets.
- Pour the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
Make the cream cheese swirl
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and egg until thick and smooth enough to spread.
- Dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter in an even pattern.
- Use a knife to swirl through the dollops, dragging in gentle figure-eight motions for marbled streaks.
Bake and chill
- Bake for 35 minutes at 350°F, until the center looks set and a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
- Cool at room temperature briefly, then chill for 30 minutes before cutting for neater slices.
Notes
Soften the cream cheese before mixing so the swirl stays silky and doesn’t streak. Store bars covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze (yes) in an airtight container up to 2 months. For a lighter option, you can try using reduced-sugar cream cheese and keep the rest unchanged for a similar tangy swirl.