There are so many things that I like about fall.
I like that I can continue to walk the pups or work out in the yard and no longer have sweat running down every crevice.
I like that we don’t have to run either the air conditioning or the heat.
I like pulling out sweatshirts that have been stacked in a closet upstairs.
I like picking up an “autumn mix” bag of candy corn for my 95-year-old grandma (even though I don’t really care for them myself).
I like driving down to Brown County (near Bloomington) to see the spectacular fall foliage.
I like purposely veering my bicycle through crunchy leaves on the road.
I like busting out my soup pot.
And I LOVE cooking with pumpkins and apples in recipes, like my PB & J Pumpkin Soup, Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie, and Caramel Apple Peanut Butter Paradise. But I have to say that I have never used the 2 ingredients together in a recipe before. So it only made sense that when this month’s Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge ingredients were pumpkin and cream cheese, apple seemed an interesting addition.
Fall Harvest Cheesecake Blondies are a luscious dessert that has all the goodness of a rich chewy blondie, with a smooth creamy pumpkin cheesecake and fresh apple filling.
It’s amazing how the best of fall can fit into an 8″ square pan!
- ¾ cup sifted all-purpose flour
- ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 medium apple, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- In a medium bowl, add flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Whisk ingredients together and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine butter with brown sugar. Add 1 egg and blend well. Combine with flour mixture. Spread in a buttered 8x8x2-inch square pan.
- In same medium bowl, combine pumpkin, ¼ cup granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and the remaining egg (lightly beaten). Spread on top of blondie crust.
- In a small saucepan, place apple, remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and water. Cook on medium high heat until the apple is tender, stirring often. Remove from heat and add cream cheese cubes. Stir slightly so that the mixture is combined, but the cubes are not entirely melted. Dollop apples on top of pumpkin filling. Using a knife, swirl to marble.
- Bake at 350˚ F. for 55-65 minutes or until center is set. Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Cut the blondies into 2-inch squares. Refrigerate leftovers (although there won’t be any!).
© 2013 Sherry Klinedinst
All rights reserved. Repost with permission only.
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Mmmmmm…a Cheesecake Blondie! What a great combination of flavors!!
These blondies are piled so high with deliciousness…irresistible!!
wow lots of deliciousness gong on in your Blondies. I love your fall like list.
What an Awesome and yummy dessert! I love your enthusiasm and videos…you’re always making me smile. Thanks for sharing at Weekend Potluck.
These sound perfect for fall! Thanks for sharing at Food on Friday!
Stopping by from the LBC challenge…. Good choice! Looks yummy!
These look amazing and yummy! Isn’t Fall great?? Pinning and have a great weekend, my friend! xo
Your blondies are delightful and your list of why you like fall are wonderful. Isn’t nice to be climate comfortable for a month or two. Love the candy corn for grandma…. thanks for sharing this with us on foodie friday.
I am stopping by from the Link party Palooza, These look great. I love a lot of things about fall too!
oh the pumpkin and apple mixture sounds so good!! Thank you for sharing this on Foodie Friday
I love chocolate but a blondie is terrific too!
YES! I have all of these ingredients at home, I’m am going to make these tonight, they look phenomenal! Thanks for sharing!
Stopping by from the Best of the Weekend, Dawn from http://www.IThinkWeCouldBeFriends.com
Great Dawn, let me know how they turn out. And thanks for stopping by!
What a nice link up! Stopping by from Tasty Tuesdays on Anyonita’s Nibbles.
Thanks for sharing at my Twirl & Take a Bow Party. Looks Yummy!
I must say this the first time i have cam to your blog even though I have seen your pictures floating around. Im so glad i came over because these cheesecake blondies look amazing…they will be perfect for my works potluck this week. Would like to invite you over to my very first linky party http://mommyondemand.com/create-bake-1-2/
Thanks for the invite. I just linked up!
Sherry, these look so perfect for fall! I especially love that it has pumpkin AND apple 🙂
These look so yummy! I’ve never tried making blondies, but I think I am about to!
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop! I featured you on facebook ♥
P.S. I know your Grandmother appreciates the candy mix 🙂
Hi Sherry! Even though I’m not a pumpkin lover, my hubs is and he is going to love this blondies! I like that the recipe also includes apples! Love them! Enjoy your fall days, temps are going down here rapidly so soon it will be not much fun the crush leaves with our bikes 😉
Thank You so much for sharing at the Fluster Buster Party, Lizy party co host
This recipe looks great! My husband is a huge fan of blondies! I love that you added graham crackers in your batter and the apples as well as the pumpkin. I just pinned this one! Amazing 🙂
YUMMY!! These sound so delicious. Just pinned! You were featured at Pick of the Bunch this week. Thank you so much sharing at A Bouquet of Talent. Have a fabulous weekend. 🙂
XO
Kathy
Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Have a great week and come back soon!
Miz Helen
This would be like a big bite of fall time. Love it! I can’t wait to make these. Thanks for sharing.