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Home » Fall Favorites » Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Published: Sep 29, 2020 · Modified: Nov 3, 2021 by Allison · 114 Comments

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These swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars feature the flavors of pumpkin pie and creamy cheesecake on a graham cracker crust. This is a delicious and crowd-pleasing holiday dessert that is way easier than making traditional cheesecake.

Stack of pumpkin cheesecake bars.

There are Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars in my fridge and I can’t think straight because I want to be nibbling on them constantly. How many cheesecake bars is it acceptable for an adult woman to consume in one day? Asking for a friend.

I fell in love with cream cheese-pumpkin combo when I made my Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake. This recipe has a similar flavor profile, but it tastes more like a traditional cheesecake. These bars have been met with rave reviews and I can’t wait for you to make and share them this holiday season.

Prefer traditional cheesecake bars (no pumpkin)? That recipe is here: Cheesecake Bars.

Stack of pumpkin cheesecake bars.

Recipe overview:

  • Graham cracker crust: A mixture of graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. This delicious crust is sweet, buttery, and incredibly easy.
  • Filling: A combination of vanilla cheesecake batter and pumpkin cheesecake batter are swirled together to create a creamy and flavorful filling.
  • Baking: This recipe bakes in a 9×13 pan, for a total of about 50 minutes.
  • Cooling: These cheesecake bars will need to cool completely before cutting and serving. Cool them to room temp, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely.
Graham cracker crumbs in a bowl and graham cracker crust in a pan.
Pumpkin cheesecake batter

Why you’ll love this recipe

Flavor: A combination of buttery crust, sweet and tangy cheesecake, pumpkin, warm spices, and a touch of vanilla.

Ease: A simple press-in graham cracker crust crust and a filling that comes together in minutes.

Quantity: This recipe makes a 9×13 pan of bars – perfect for feeding a crowd.

Recipe tips

  • Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream for ths recipe. Low-fat alternatives can have stabilizers in them that might affect the texture.
  • Make sure you buy pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling (which is already sweetened).
  • Don’t overbeat the cheesecake batter. If you add too much air it can crack when it is baking.
  • You need to allow at least 8 hours for this cheesecake to cool. It should first cool to room temp, then chill completely in the refrigerator.
  • Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 1 month.
  • Out of sour cream? Try one of these Sour Cream Substitutes.
Pumpkin cheesecake bars on parchment paper.

More pumpkin recipes

Pumpkin Bars – Soft cake-like bars topped with brown butter frosting.
Pumpkin Muffins – Moist pumpkin muffins topped with a brown sugar crumble and cinnamon icing.
Pumpkin Pie Bars – Creamy pumpkin pie filling on top of a shortbread crust.
Pumpkin Pudding Cake – Pumpkin cake that bakes with a brown sugar caramel sauce.
Pumpkin Carrot Cake – A delicious layer cake with cream cheese frosting.
Pumpkin Ice Cream – Super creamy no-churn ice cream that tastes likes pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

Stack of pumpkin cheesecake bars.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

These swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars feature the flavors of pumpkin pie and creamy cheesecake on a graham cracker crust. 
4.94 from 105 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Cooling: 8 hours
Total Time: 9 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 18
Calories: 294kcal
Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 15 whole rectangular graham crackers
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

  • 1-¼ cups pumpkin puree
  • 1-½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1-½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • Three 8-oz packages full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1-⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 1-½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup full fat sour cream
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with foil and lightly grease the foil.

Crust:

  • Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and process until the graham crackers are in fine crumbs (you should have just over 2 cups of crumbs). In a separate bowl, combine crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and stir until combined. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan and press it into an even layer (I use the back of a measuring cup).
  • Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes until it is just beginning to turn golden brown and fragrant. Place the crust on a wire rack to cool slightly while you make the filling.

Filling:

  • In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, spices, and flour. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, sour cream, and salt, and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, and turning off the mixer as soon as the last egg is fully incorporated.
  • Measure out 1-½ cups of the cream cheese mixture and add it to the reserved pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined.
  • Alternate scoops of cream cheese filling and the pumpkin filling all over the top of the crust. Use a sharp knife to drag/swirl the two mixtures together (I do figure eights). Be careful not to drag the knife all the way down into the crust.
  • Bake in the center of the oven for 35-45 minutes, until the center still has a very slight jiggle but the edges are set. Place on a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill (this will take several hours).

Notes

  • Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream for ths recipe. Low-fat alternatives can have stabilizers in them that might affect the texture.
  • Make sure you buy pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling (which is already sweetened).
  • Don’t overbeat the cheesecake batter. If you add too much air it can crack when it is baking.
  • You need to allow at least 8 hours for this cheesecake to cool. It should first cool to room temp, then chill completely in the refrigerator.
  • Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 1254IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
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Comments

  1. Jo

    November 22, 2022 at 9:06 am

    Can I make the crust a day or 2 ahead of time?

    Would I just leave it on counter or in fridge until I make the full recipe?

    Reply
    • Allison

      November 23, 2022 at 8:58 am

      Yes, that should be ok, although I’ve never tried it. Let it cool completely then cover it (at room temp) so it doesn’t get stale.

      Reply
    • Annie

      November 30, 2022 at 3:55 pm

      Hello! Do you think there would be a way to make this without eggs? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Allison

        December 01, 2022 at 10:09 am

        No. The eggs help firm up the filling.

  2. Jordyn

    November 22, 2022 at 4:08 pm

    If I don’t have the pumpkin pie sauce Ava it could I substitute it with a pumpkin spice syrup or something similar? The pumpkin pie sauce seems to be unavailable in all the stores I’ve checked.

    Reply
    • Allison

      November 29, 2022 at 1:34 pm

      You can make your own: https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a78588/how-to-make-pumpkin-pie-spice/
      Or just use what you have, primarily cinnamon.

      Reply
  3. Whitney

    November 23, 2022 at 3:24 pm

    What if I have already ground graham crackers , do you know how much ? :/ I can’t wait to try!

    Reply
    • Allison

      November 29, 2022 at 1:30 pm

      You’ll need between 1-3/4 and 2 cups.

      Reply
  4. Charla

    November 24, 2022 at 11:18 pm

    5 stars
    These were perfect for our Thanksgiving dessert!!! It tastes like a true cheesecake, unlike one’s I’ve made in the past. I followed the recipe to a T except for two things. #1 I accidentally baked the crust an extra 10 min. I believe this just led to a slightly harder crust which was delicious. #2 I poured all of the cheesecake filling on top of the crust, then put spoonfuls of the pumpkin on top of that, before swirling it in.

    They were AMAZING. ♡♡

    Reply
    • Allison

      November 29, 2022 at 1:25 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Bekki Goodhind

    December 01, 2022 at 11:34 am

    5 stars
    This recipe was right on. So very flavorful and the graham cracker crust was unbelievabley tasty. Definitely making this pumpkin cheesecake again for the holidays 🥰

    Reply
    • Allison

      December 19, 2022 at 4:13 pm

      I’m so glad! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Freda

    December 16, 2022 at 8:47 am

    5 stars
    No dessert is better than this. I followed the receipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. Now I’ve made it several times. Everyone LOVES it.

    Reply
    • Allison

      December 19, 2022 at 10:52 am

      I’m so glad! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.

      Reply
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aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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