Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are smooth, creamy pumpkin cheesecake over a delicious graham cracker crust and then baked to perfection. Top with a little whipped cream and this pumpkin cheesecake dessert is the perfect sweet finish to any holiday meal! These bars can be made up to 3 days before the big event and they’re freezer friendly!
When Thanksgiving rolls around, a couple of pumpkin desserts must be on the menu! I always serve my pumpkin dessert squares, pumpkin cupcakes, and these irresistible pumpkin cheesecake bars.
Put this and a pumpkin pie head-to-head in a taste test and this comes out the winner every time! These bars are lusciously creamy, perfectly sweet and full of fall spices. This treat is sure to impress and earn you rave reviews from family and friends!
How Do You Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars?
There’s a few steps involved in making these pumpkin cheesecake bars, but they’re really quite simple. Follow along and let’s bake up some deliciousness!
This recipe starts with a graham cracker crust, which is made with graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter, and a touch of cinnamon. I just love a good graham cracker crust! The crust gets pressed into a 9×13-inch baking dish, that has been lined with foil or parchment. Be sure there’s an overhang of at least 2 inches on each side; this will help you remove the cheesecake bars from the dish later. Then it is baked until lightly browned.
A note about the graham cracker crust: You can buy graham cracker crumbs from the grocery store (you’ll find them down the baking aisle), or make your own by pulsing sheets of graham crackers in your blender or food processor.
Now it’s time to make the cheesecake! Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat in the sugars and spices. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one is added. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the pumpkin puree and vanilla and beat until completely smooth. Pour the filling over the prepared crust, and spread evenly.
Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the edges have set and the middle has a small bit of wiggle to it. It will continue to get firm as it cools. Allow bars to cool at room temperature for about one hour. Cover and then refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight.
Tips For Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- This recipe calls for pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Be sure to read the label carefully. Pumpkin pie filling will not work in this recipe.
- Your cream cheese should be very soft and your eggs should be at room temperature before starting this recipe. This will ensure all of the ingredients combine well and will keep your batter from getting lumpy. You can microwave the cream cheese in 30 second increments to soften it quickly.
- The pumpkin cheesecake bars are fabulous served as-is, but I especially love them topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. It really dresses up the bars too!
- Pumpkin Cheesecake bars can be made up to 3 days before you plan to serve them.
- Try using gingersnap cookies for the crust instead of graham crackers for an additional hit of spice flavor.
Can You Freeze Cheesecake Bars?
These pumpkin cheesecake bars will keep, stored in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days. You may also freeze them for up to 2 months.
To freeze: fully cool the cheesecake bars, then place the cooled cheesecake (whole or sliced) on a freezer-friendly platter and freeze, uncovered, until completely firm. Once firm, remove the cheesecake from the freezer and wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Then place it in a freezer bag; seal the bag and return it to freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, remove the foil and defrost in the fridge overnight.
Nothing says fall like pumpkin! And this recipe combines two favorites – you’ve got an amazing cheesecake flavor joined with the classic flavor of pumpkin pie. These bars turn out smooth, sweet, absolutely delicious and so perfect for your holiday table.
OTHER PUMPKIN RECIPES TO TRY:
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
If you try this pumpkin dessert recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter,, melted
For the bars:
- 4 (8 ounce) packages full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 5 large eggs , (at room temperature)
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If you will want to remove bars before slicing, line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or foil so the sides hang over the edges of the dish.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and butter. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside on a cooling rack.
For the bars:
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat in the sugars and spices. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one is added. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and beat until completely smooth.
- Pour the filling over the prepared crust, and spread evenly.
- Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the edges have set and the middle has a small bit of wiggle to it. It will continue to get firm as it cools.
- Allow bars to cool at room temperature for about one hour. Cover and then refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight.
- To serve, use a large, sharp knife to cut into squares. I recommend wiping the knife clean with a damp cloth between slices. Serve with a dollop of whipped topping and enjoy!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @kimscravings on Instagram and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy and delicious recipes straight to your inbox!
Pumpkin and cheese cake sounds yummy. Love this as my dessert any day. Looks perfect, creamy and yummy.
These are a must this Thanksgiving. So delicious and a crowd pleaser!
My coworkers loved those and me too! Thank you for sharing!
Perfect holiday treat! Very well explained recipe. Printing it out to mKe it tomorrow.
Yummy! The perfect big batch dessert for Thanksgiving too. =)
This is such an amazing pumpkin recipe! Such a huge hit at my house!
These are incredibly silky and decadent without being too sweet!!!
These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars look so decadent creamy! Bring on the whipped cream and these are my new fave for Thanksgiving!! YUM!
These are just perfect! I’d happily eat a couple of these! I’m going to try these this weekend! Thanks for sharing them x