Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Indulgent Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars have it all! This beautiful, seasonal treat is the perfect dessert you’ve been seeking for your fall get-togethers.

• 30-minute prep: And all of the steps are straightforward and easier than a cheesecake.
• Swirl of flavor: You get your favorite flavors and textures together in one bite!
• Marbled elegance: These look as great as they taste.
• Crowd-pleasing crust: A buttery, Graham cracker crust is always a hit.
• Make ahead and relax: My cheesecake squares are great to make in advance for a party.

This recipe was an absolute hit the day we made it for our photoshoot! It had the perfect balance of flavor and texture, with all the warm fall vibes we were craving. Because it needs time to chill, I recommend making it the day before you plan to serve—or even two days ahead if needed. And if you really want to go the extra mile this year, try making my homemade pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice to make these bars truly shine.

If you’d like to make a traditional cheesecake, you’ll love my Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Sauce,  Caramel Apple Cheesecake, White Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake, and my Nutella Cheesecake.

Table of Contents

• What are Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

What are Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars?

• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars give you classic cheesecake in hand-held form. This two-layer dessert has a buttery crumb crust, warmly spiced pumpkin purée, and a sweetened cream cheese swirl.
  • Flavor: Earthy pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, sweetened cream cheese, buttery Graham cracker
  • Texture: Crunchy crust, creamy, rich filling
  • Main ingredients: Graham crackers, butter, pumpkin purée, cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, spices
  • Great for: dessert, fall snacks, Halloween treats, tailgates, family get-togethers, holiday dinners, Thanksgiving, Christmas celebrations
• Pumpkin cheesecake recipes started popping up in the 1990s in magazines and in restaurants. And since the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte in the early 2000s sparked a love for all things pumpkin, people are craving variations of pumpkin desserts that are portable and full of the flavor of the fall season.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Food processor (optional)
• 9×13-inch (23×33-cm) baking pan
• Whisk
• Stand mixer (optional) or an electric hand mixer
• Silicone spatula
• Sharp knife
• Wire cooling rack

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

For the Crust

Graham crackers

• Graham crackers, with their warm spice flavors and honey notes, make a crust that complements the pumpkin and cream cheese filling.
• When the Graham cracker crumbs are mixed with butter and baked, they make a sturdy, but wonderfully crumbly, cookie crust.
• If you want to go 100% homemade, make your own Graham crackers with my simple recipe.
• Substitutes: Instead of  Graham crackers, use crumbs made from gingersnaps, digestive biscuits, or Biscoff Cookies.

Butter

• Butter binds the cracker crumbs together to form a cohesive crust when baked.
• Additionally, the butter adds a delightful savory, salty note.

For the Filling

Canned pumpkin puree

• Canned pumpkin purée provides the pie with a pure pumpkin flavor and a smooth texture.
• Alternatively, you can use sweet potato or butternut squash puree. You can also easily make your own Homemade Pumpkin Purée!

All-purpose flour

• The flour helps hold the mixture together and makes it easy to slice.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of an all-purpose gluten-free flours or my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix, if you prefer.

Pumpkin pie spice

• Pumpkin pie spice (a mix of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, ground nutmeg, and cloves) gives the pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe a warm, aromatic flavor.
• Here’s how to make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix.
• If you haven’t used your spices in a while, make sure they’re fresh!
• Substitute: You can also use the same amount of apple pie spice or use my recipe to make Mixed Spice.

Cream cheese

• Enriched, sweetened cream cheese forms a deliciously tangy center in contrast to the mellow pumpkin.
• Additionally, the cream cheese mixture creates a striking, gorgeous visual contrast.
• Use brick-style cream cheese (and not cream cheese spread) in this recipe.
• Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before using it to ensure smooth mixing.
• Substitute: You can also use an equal amount of plain vegan brick-style cream cheese in place of regular cream cheese.
  • Note that some vegan cream cheese brands have a very mild flavor. To get that signature tangy taste, add a dash of lemon juice.

Granulated sugar

• Granulated sugar sweetens the cream cheese.
• Substitute: You can use light brown sugar, but it may make the cream cheese mixture darker, which won’t give as bright a contrast with the pumpkin mixture.

Eggs

• Egg binds the cream cheese filling together, creating a cohesive mixture.
• It’s essential to use room-temperature eggs for a smooth mixture. Here’s how to take the chill off eggs from the fridge.
• Substitute: In place of the egg, you can use a cornstarch slurry that will also help bind the mixture.
  •  Make it by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of milk or water.

Full-fat sour cream

• Sour cream has a fat content of about 20%. When it’s blended with cream cheese, it creates a rich, velvety mixture.
• Substitute: You can substitute full-fat yogurt for sour cream.

Vanilla extract

• Vanilla’s warmly sweet flavor enhances the ingredients and brings its own floral note.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of Vanilla Bean Paste.

Salt

• Salt enhances the flavors in these cream cheese pumpkin squares.

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Prepare the Crust

1. Make the Graham crumbs: Crush the Graham crackers into fine crumbs in a food processor, then transfer the crumbs to a large bowl.
2. Mix with butter: Add the melted butter and mix until well combined.

3. Add to baking dish: Press evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking pan, then refrigerate the Graham cracker crust until needed.

Make the Filling and Bake

4. Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
5. Make pumpkin mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, flour, and pie spice. Set aside.

6. Mix cream cheese with sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth.

7. Finish making cream cheese mixture: Turn the mixer to low and whisk in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt, and mix until well combined.

8. Combine mixtures: Add 1 ½ cups (12 ounces/340 g) of the cream cheese mixture to the reserved pumpkin mixture and stir to combine

9. Arrange both fillings on the crust: Alternate dropping dollops of the plain cream cheese filling and the pumpkin filling on the prepared crust.

10. Swirl the filling: Use a sharp knife to swirl the two mixtures together a few times in each direction, taking care not to scrape up the crust.

Bake and serve

11. Bake the bars: Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center has a slight jiggle. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours before cutting into 12 squares.

12. Serve and enjoy: Enjoy with a dollop of whipped cream!

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Ingredient specs: Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream for the best texture.
• No machine needed: If you don’t have a food processor, you can crush the crumbs in a plastic bag using a rolling pin.
• Purée only: Make sure you buy pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling (which is already sweetened).
• Take the chill off: Be sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before you mix it, or it may stay lumpy.
• Mixing tip: Don’t overbeat the cheesecake batter. If you add too much air, it can crack when it is baking.
• Crust option: For a nice variation, try using gingersnaps instead of graham crackers for the pumpkin cheesecake bars crust (measure the same amount by weight).

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

• Make-ahead tips:
  • You can make the crust for these cream cheese pumpkin bars, wrap it well, and keep it in the fridge for up to two days.
  • Make these bars ahead if you’d like. Bake, cool, cover, and store in the refrigerator for up to two days.
• How to store leftovers:
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

FAQs

Can I make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars recipe gluten-free?

• Yes, you can make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars recipe gluten-free.
  • Use certified gluten-free Graham crackers to make the crust.
  • In the filling, use a gluten-free baking mix in place of the all-purpose flour.
  • Also, make sure your other ingredients are certified gluten-free.

Is it possible to make this dessert egg-free?

• Yes, you can make this dessert egg-free.
• Substitute: In place of the egg in the cream cheese mixture, you can use a cornstarch slurry.
  • To make the slurry, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of milk or water.

How do I make sure my bars look their best?

• To prevent cracks in the bars, be careful not to overmix the cream cheese mixture. Excess air in the mixture can cause cracking.
  • Additionally, don’t overbake. The bars are done when the edges are set and the middle still has a slight jiggle.
• Cool the bars for at least four hours so they firm up enough for neat and easy cutting.

More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

• Chocolate Swirl Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
• Perfect Pumpkin Pecan Pie
• Warm Chai Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

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