Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars

These pumpkin crème brûlée cheesecake bars combine a crunchy Oreo crust with a silky pumpkin filling and a caramelized sugar top.

240 min Serves 16 serving(s) Easy Thanksgiving Cuisine

Our own summary of the original by Rian Handler — the full post and photos live at delish.com.

These pumpkin crème brûlée cheesecake bars feature a crunchy Oreo crust and a creamy pumpkin filling, finished with a caramelized sugar topping. They are baked in a water bath for a silky texture, then chilled before serving. A kitchen torch creates the signature brûlée crust just before serving.

Directions

Set your oven to 325°F. Lightly coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together the finely crushed Oreos, melted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

For the filling, use a hand mixer in a large bowl to beat the softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until smooth and free of lumps. Add the egg and egg yolks, then stir in the vanilla extract. Sprinkle in the pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and beat just until combined. Pour the filling over the crust.

Place the baking pan inside a larger roasting pan. Carefully pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake until the cheesecake is only slightly jiggly in the center, about 50 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour. Then remove the pan from the water bath and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.

When you're ready to serve, cut the cheesecake into bars. Sprinkle an even layer of superfine sugar over the tops. Using a kitchen torch, carefully torch the sugar until it turns lightly golden and caramelized.