Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are rich and creamy. The perfect combination of sweet pumpkin, spices, and of course creamy, dreamy cheesecake all on a shortbread crust and served in bars that fit right in your hand. A wonderful dessert for a crowd, even when you won’t want to share!

Pumpkin cheesecake bar with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Pumpkin pie, cheesecake, conveniently sized bars? What’s not to love when it comes to this indulgent fall flavored treat?!

Simple to make and easy to impress guests, these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are the best of both worlds. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool before you can sink your teeth into them.

How To Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

For the Crust:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until well mixed. The dough will be somewhat dry and crumbly but should hold together when pressed.
Top down view of shortbread dough in a bowl.
  1. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish and press firmly into place with your hands or a heavy bottomed glass.
  2. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before adding the pumpkin cheesecake filling.
Top down view of shortbread crust in a baking dish.

For the Pumpkin Layer:

  1. Adjust the oven temperature down to 325°F.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment on low-medium speed to mix the softened cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps. Add the pumpkin puree and continue mixing until well combined.
  3. Add in both the granulated sugar and brown sugar and continue mixing until the sugars are fully incorporated into the cream cheese. Next add in the eggs, yolks, and vanilla extract until well mixed.
  4. Switch to low speed and mix in the flour, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon until just combined.
Flour and spices in a bowl with pumpkin cheesecake filling.
  1. Pour the cheesecake batter over the cooled shortbread crust. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the edges are set but the center is still jiggly.
  2. Allow the pumpkin cheesecake bars to cool at room temperature, then transfer them to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 4 hours or up to overnight.
  3. Cut into individual squares, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and serve chilled. Enjoy!
Top down view of unbaked cheesecake bars.

Tips and Variations

  • A graham cracker crust would be a delicious option for this cheesecake as well!
  • Try serving with a liberal amount of whipped cream and a sprinkle of chopped pecans.
  • Experiment with your cheesecake bars and swirl together vanilla cheesecake with the pumpkin cheesecake or create a layered cheesecake with multiple flavors a la The Cheesecake Factory.
  • Don’t overbeat your batter or it may crack when baking.
  • Use full fat cream cheese for the best texture.

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Store any leftover Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days!

Reheating: No reheating necessary with this dessert! Enjoyed chilled right out of the refrigerator.

Stack of 3 pumpkin cheesecake bars on a plate.

Can you freeze pumpkin cheesecake bars?

We don’t recommend freezing these cheesecake bars. The texture changes a bit after they thaw, so it’s up to you if you’d like to freeze the cheesecake bars.

They’ll stay good for about 2 months when stored properly.

Can they be made with a different crust?

Absolutely! Pumpkin cheesecake bars can be made using a graham cracker crust, an Oreo crust, a Biscoff cookie and graham cracker crust like our S’mores bars, a gingersnap crust, Chex cereal crust, or any type of crust you like.

Make sure to bake the crust first and let it cool before adding the cream cheese filling.

How far in advance can you make pumpkin cheesecake bars?

These cheesecake bars can be prepared 1-2 days in advance, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

They are best made at least 1 day in advance so they have plenty of time to set.

Like This Recipe?

We’d love it if you would leave a 5 Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest!

Square piece of pumpkin cheesecake on a plate.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

4.6 from 5 votes
Print Pin
Author: Kimberly
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Cool Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 20 Servings

Ingredients

Crust

Pumpkin Layer

Instructions
 

For the Crust:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until well mixed. The dough will be somewhat dry and crumbly.
    1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
    ¾ cup unsalted butter
    ⅓ cup granulated sugar
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    ½ teaspoon salt
  • Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish and press into place with your hands or a heavy bottomed glass.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before adding the pumpkin filling.

For The Pumpkin Layer:

  • Adjust the oven temperature to 325°F.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment on medium speed to mix the cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps. Add the pumpkin puree and continue mixing until well combined.
    32 ounces block-style cream cheese
    15 ounces canned pumpkin purée
  • Add in both the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and continue mixing until the sugars are fully incorporated. Next add in the eggs, yolks, and vanilla until well mixed. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
    1 cup granulated sugar
    ¾ cup light brown sugar
    4 large eggs
    2 large egg yolks
    1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • Switch to low speed, and mix in the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until just combined. 
    3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pour the batter over the cooled shortbread crust. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the edges are set but the center is still jiggly.
  • Allow the pumpkin cheesecake bars to cool at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 4 hours or up to overnight.
  • Cut into individual squares, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and serve chilled.
  • See post for storage options.

Notes

*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1 bar. Actual calories will vary.
 
*For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.
 
*Oven temperatures and pan types vary, so adjust bake times accordingly. We used a glass pan for this recipe. A metal pan may have a different cook time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 273mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 4205IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg
Get Our Dip Recipes Ebook!More details here ➡️ FREE EBOOK!
4.60 from 5 votes (5 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating