Question 1

How Do I marble the cheesecake?

Accepted Answer

To get the best marbling effect, your pumpkin cheesecake and plain cheesecake need to be similar in texture density/thickness. If one is a lot runnier than the other, they may be harder to marble together. This can happen if you use a runnier or thinner pumpkin puree (see the FAQ about pumpkin puree below).

For the best outcome, we recommend alternating scoops of pumpkin and plain cheesecake onto the prepared crust until you've used up both cheesecake batters. This means you'll have a scoop of pumpkin cheesecake, then a plain cheesecake scoop next to it, then another pumpkin, and so on.

You also want to avoid over swirling the cheesecake flavors together, if possible. Just take a butter knife or small offset spatula and dip the point into the cheesecake batter, holding the knife or spatula straight up and down, not at an angle. Gently drag the knife through the scoops of pumpkin and plain cheesecake (be sure not to drag it through the crust below), swirling it by changing direction and moving the knife slowly through the batter. Just be careful not to over swirl. If you try to marble or swirl the cheesecakes together too much, they'll mix in more and you'll lose the marbled effect altogether. Don't worry too much, though. These bars will taste amazing no matter what, with or without the marbling!

Question 2

Does it matter what brand of pumpkin puree I use?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. Pumpkin puree brands differ in thickness, color, and taste. If you use a thinner, more watery brand (like Trader Joe's), you may not be able to achieve a marbled effect because the pumpkin cheesecake and plain cheesecake may be too different in moisture level. However, it's still going to taste good and bake well, even if the marbling looks different or not perfect. We've always made this with Libby's brand and have had a lot of success with it. You can find many listed rankings on pumpkin puree out there too. Other popular brands include Kroger, 365, and Farmers Market.

Question 3

Can I use low-fat cream cheese or sour cream?

Accepted Answer

We don’t recommend using low-fat ingredients in these pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars. Full-fat cream cheese and sour cream give these bars their signature richness and they also help the bars set up and get firm. Using low-fat will give the cheesecake a looser, more watery texture.

Question 4

Can I make these gluten-free?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! There’s no gluten in the cheesecake fillings themselves, but there is gluten in the graham crackers. To make this gluten-free, make sure to use gluten-free graham crackers in the crust.

Question 5

Can I eat these right out of the oven?

Accepted Answer

No. These need to set up in the fridge for at least a few hours or up to overnight or they’ll be too soft and won’t taste right.

Question 6

Can I make these ahead of time?

Accepted Answer

Yes! These actually work best when they have time to set in the refrigerator, so you can bake them up the day before. Just don’t make them too far in advance or the crust might get soggy.

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