From the roundup: 24 Easy Fall Desserts Recipes to Bake This Season
These spiced sweet potato cheesecake bars have become my go-to for Thanksgiving overflow when I simply do not have the oven space or the patience for a full cheesecake. One 9×13 pan, 18 generous squares, and the whole thing can be done the night before. That last part is the real reason I keep coming back to this recipe.
The filling is a proper cheesecake layer, three blocks of cream cheese with sweet potato puree and a warm spice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It goes over a pre-baked graham cracker crust and bakes in a water bath at 325 degrees for about 35 minutes. Active time is around 30 minutes. The rest is cooling and chilling, so plan on about three hours total before you can slice.
If you have never used a water bath for bars before, do not skip it here. I baked a test batch without it once and the filling turned grainy around the edges by the time it cooled. The foil wrap and the inch of hot water take two extra minutes and they actually matter.
How this recipe found its way here
A few years ago I signed up to bring dessert for my sister-in-law’s Friendsgiving, which I thought was casual until I showed up and counted 24 people. I had made a single cheesecake. I sliced it into the thinnest pieces I could manage and spent the rest of the night wishing I had made bars instead. The next year I did, in a 9×13, and had squares left over to send home with people.
The leftover bars actually kept well in the fridge for four days. My kids ate them for after-school snack with a little whipped cream on top, which I would not have predicted. That was enough to make this a permanent part of our fall rotation.
Why you will love this
- One 9×13 pan cuts into 18 bars, which is enough for most holiday tables without doubling anything.
- The filling sets up firm enough to slice cleanly the next day, so you can bake it the night before and not think about it again.
- Sweet potato puree adds body to the filling, which means the texture is denser and more forgiving than a plain cream cheese bar.
- The water bath is simpler in a rectangular pan than it sounds. A large roasting pan and hot tap water is all you need.
- Canned sweet potato puree works perfectly here, which cuts your prep down considerably on a busy baking day.
Tips for success
- Cream cheese must be fully softened before you start. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps in the filling no matter how long you beat it. Set the blocks out at least an hour before you begin.
- Pre-bake the crust for 8 minutes before adding the filling. Skipping this step leaves you with a crust that stays soft and crumbles when you lift a bar out of the pan.
- Stop mixing as soon as each egg disappears into the batter. Overbeating after the eggs go in whips air into the filling, and that air is what causes cracks and a grainy texture after baking.
- Pull the bars when the center still has a slight jiggle, firm Jell-O is the right comparison. They will continue to set as they cool. An overbaked batch turns chalky by the time it is cold.
Common questions about these bars
- Can I use canned yams instead of sweet potato puree? Drain them well and mash thoroughly, but plain sweet potato puree gives a cleaner flavor and smoother texture.
- Why did my filling crack? Most likely the eggs were overmixed or the bars baked a few minutes too long. The water bath helps, but pulling them at the right jiggle point matters just as much.
- Can I make these in a 9×9 pan? You will get thicker bars and need to add about 10 minutes to the bake time. Check for that center jiggle rather than going by the clock.
- Do they need to be served cold? Yes. These bars are meant to be eaten straight from the refrigerator. They soften and lose their shape quickly at room temperature.
Substitutions
Canned sweet potato puree swaps in directly for roasted fresh sweet potato. Pumpkin puree also works in the same amount if that is what you have, though the flavor will be a little lighter. For the crust, crushed gingersnap cookies replace the graham crackers and add a spicier base that pairs well with the filling spices. For a gluten-free version, certified gluten-free grahams or a mix of almond flour and melted butter pressed firmly into the pan both work.
If someone in your house cannot do dairy, full-fat dairy-free cream cheese can replace the regular cream cheese block for block, and a dairy-free sour cream substitute works in the filling. The texture will be slightly softer but still sliceable after a full overnight chill. Mascarpone in place of cream cheese gives a richer, less tangy result if you want to go that direction.
Make-ahead and storage
These bars are genuinely better made the day before you need them. Bake, cool at room temperature for a full hour, then cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Slice just before serving, wiping the knife clean between cuts for the neatest edges. Bars will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you need to stack them, put a layer of parchment between the rows.
To freeze, wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a zip-top freezer bag for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Do not add any whipped topping before freezing.
Spiced Sweet Potato Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If roasting fresh sweet potato, pierce a large sweet potato all over with a fork and microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once, until completely soft. Let it cool, scoop out the flesh, and mash until perfectly smooth. Measure out 1 cup. Set aside. If using canned puree, measure out 1 cup directly.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Wrap the outside bottom and sides of your 9×13 pan tightly with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. This keeps water from the bath from seeping in. Lightly grease the inside of the pan with butter or nonstick spray.
- Make the crust. Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir until every crumb is moistened and the mixture looks like wet sand. Press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan using the bottom of a flat measuring cup. Bake the crust alone for 8 minutes, then remove and let it cool for 5 minutes while you make the filling.
- Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until it is completely smooth with no lumps at all. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat for another minute until fluffy.
- Add the sweet potato puree, sour cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, vanilla, and salt to the cream cheese mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low after each addition just until the yellow disappears into the batter. Do not overmix after adding the eggs or the filling can crack.
- Pour the filling over the pre-baked crust and spread it into an even layer with a rubber spatula. Place the foil-wrapped 9×13 pan inside a larger roasting pan. Carefully pour hot tap water into the roasting pan until it reaches about 1 inch up the sides of the 9×13 pan.
- Carefully slide the whole setup into the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The filling is done when the edges are set and the center has just a slight jiggle, like firm Jell-O. It will continue to firm up as it cools. Do not overbake or the texture will become grainy.
- Remove the 9×13 pan from the water bath and place it on a wire rack. Remove the foil from the outside. Let it cool at room temperature for 1 full hour, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. Slice into squares with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts.
Notes
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