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–+ servings
A plate holds a stack of three pumpkin cheesecake bars with a bite taken out of the top one. The dessert is layered with a crumbly crust, creamy filling, and pumpkin topping. In the background, there are mini pumpkins, a cup of coffee, and an orange napkin.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Let's make the ultimate autumn treat: pumpkin cheesecake bars. Creamy, delicious, warmly spiced, and perfect for the holidays or any fall day!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Cooling8 hours
Total Time8 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 18 servings
Calories: 206kcal
Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 15 graham cracker sheets (about 2 cups finely ground crumbs)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 8 tablespoons butter melted

For the filling

  • 1 ¼ cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (see notes for pumpkin pie spice)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 3 (8-ounce) packages full fat cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup full fat sour cream
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with foil. Then lightly grease the foil.

Crust

  • Crush the graham crackers until finely ground. This can be in a food processor, blender, or a baggie with a rolling pin. Combine the crackers with sugar and melted butter, and stir to combine. Press into the prepared baking pan. I like to use the bottom of a measureing cup.
  • Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Filling

  • In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, spices, and flour. Set aside.
  • With a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat until combined, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until mixed.
  • Remove 1 ½ cups of the cream cheese and mix into the reserved pumpkin mixture until smooth.
  • Using a large scoop, alternate scoops of cream cheese filling and pumpkin filling and drop over the graham crust. Use a knife to drag and swirl the two together in a figure 8 motion. Be careful not to drag the knife through the crust.
  • Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the edges are set, but the center is only slightly jiggily. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Then, transfer to the refrigerator to chill until completely set, at least 8 hours to overnight.

Notes

  1. Spices: If you prefer, you can replace the spices with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
  2. Full-fat cream cheese and sour cream: This recipe requires full-fat ingredients, as low-fat alternatives may affect the texture.
  3. Overbeating the batter: Be careful not to overbeat the cream cheese fillings, as this adds air to the batter, which can then create a crack in the cheesecake during baking.
  4. Storing: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 2891IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.4mg