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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
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. You can skip the foil and just grease the pan, but I like the foil for easy removal and cleanup. Note: I prefer a metal pan for this recipe, a glass pan will work but bake time might be a few minutes longer.
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 the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill (this will take several hours).
Video
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
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!
Jas says
I made these for work and EVERYONE was obsessed. I had multiple people ask me for this lovely recipe!
Allison says
I’m so glad! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Carol says
Made these bars for Thanksgiving this year. Family requested that I make another one because everyone loved it so much that some were sad on Friday when not everyone got to have leftovers! So 2nd batch being made today!
Allison says
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for the kind review. 🙂
Rebecca says
Made this tonight, the cinnamon is too overpowering. I suggest using less. Pumpkin pie spice already has cinnamon. I unfortunately, didn’t realize that until too late.
Allison says
Sorry to hear that. You used teaspoons, not tablespoons?
Marisa says
These were easy to make and absolutely delicious. I was told they were the best dish at my family Thanksgiving! I even made them a few days ahead of time and froze them. I took them out of the freezer about 5 hours before eating, and they were perfect. I’ll definitely be making them again!
Allison says
That’s great to hear. Thanks for stopping by!
Nicole says
Definitely worth making!! Everyone loves them. I followed the exam recipe. Made twice in a week for two family dinners!! Thanks for the recipe!
Allison says
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Stephanie says
Made this and substituted the graham crackers for a sleeve of Lotus cookies. Highly recommend!
Allison says
Great idea! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Debbie says
Will the taste be altered if only using 2 blocks of cream cheese instead of three?
Allison says
Hi, Debbie. I’d recommend making the recipe as written for the best outcome.
David says
This is one of my holiday favs. It is easy to make and great to eat.
Allison says
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by!
Brenda says
Can this be baked in a springform pan(s)? Baking this instead of plain old pumpkin pie this year!
Allison says
Probably but I haven’t tested it. I don’t think it would make a very thick cheesecake. You’d have to play around with it.
Amanda says
Made this for Thanksgiving with a large crowd and it was delicious! It’s a keeper!
Allison says
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Happy holidays!
Jeanne says
This was a major hit at my family’s Thanksgiving gathering. I don’t bake or cook and I was able to make something people loved! Multiple compliments!
Allison says
Yay! I’m so glad. 🙂
Lisa says
Why the tin foil? And do you take them out of the pan before cutting them?
Allison says
To keep them from sticking and so that you can lift them from the pan (after chilling) for easy cutting.
Val M says
My family loved this cheesecake and Thanksgiving and have asked me to make it again for Christmas! Do you think I can cook then freeze it right in the 9×13 pan? Thanks!
Allison says
Hi! That should work. Just make sure it cools completely before you cover it and freeze it.