These pumpkin cheesecake bars are made with pumpkin pie filling swirled with creamy cheesecake on a graham cracker crust. They’re a crowd-pleasing easy holiday dessert!
This dessert bar recipe is easier than my pumpkin cheesecake recipe and a lighter, fluffier version of my pumpkin pie bars!
Table of Contents
Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars
These easy pumpkin cheesecake bars are where cheesecake bars and pumpkin pie come together in a thick and rich marbled dessert bar. It’s the best thing to bite into when the cravings for fall flavors hit!
They might remind you of my mini pumpkin cheesecakes but this recipe for pumpkin cheesecake bars have a distinct vanilla cheesecake element to them. They’re perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas, or anytime you’ve got some pumpkin puree to use up!
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Graham cracker crust: Crushed graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar.
- Cheesecake filling: Softened cream cheese, sugar, room temperature eggs and sour cream, and vanilla extract.
- Pumpkin layer: Pumpkin puree, flour, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, and sea salt. Pumpkin puree isn’t the same as pumpkin pie filling, so don’t get them confused!
Crust Variations
A graham cracker crust is nice and light, but you could switch it up and make it an Oreo crust, a gingersnap crust, or a pretzel crust if you wanted.
The Oreo crust would be great for Halloween, while the other two are a bit more versatile and fall weather-friendly!
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Combine crust ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until combined into what looks and feels like soft wet sand.
- Press it into the pan. Add crumb mixture to bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan and use bottom of a measuring cup to compact it down firmly so that it’s an even layer of crust. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
- Make the cheesecake filling. Using a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth. Add 1 egg at a time before mixing in sour cream and vanilla.
- Pumpkin pie filling. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, flour, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon until combined. Then, whisk in 1 cup of the cheesecake batter until fully incorporated. This is what makes it lighter and fluffier than your average pumpkin pie filling.
- Swirl and bake pumpkin cheesecake bars. Add spoonfuls of filling on crust, alternating between cheesecake layer and pumpkin filling. Gently swirl the two together into a marble pattern with a toothpick. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Chill, slice, and serve. Allow pumpkin cheesecake bars to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring it to the fridge. Chill for at least 8 hours before slicing and serving.
Tips and Variations
- Use full fat cream cheese and sour cream. This ensures best taste and texture. Low fat alternatives have stabilizers. A block of cream needs to be used, not one in a tub as it has to much water.
- Prevent cheesecake cracks. Press the crust crumbs up the sides of the baking dish slightly and do not overmix the pumpkin pie cheesecake bar filling as it adds air into the batter.
- Use a food processor to make crumbs from whole Graham Crackers.
- For clean slices, dip a sharp knife into hot water for a few seconds. Wipe it dry, then slice and repeat the process between every cut.
- Crust: You could switch it up and make an Oreo crust, a gingersnap crust, or a pretzel crust if you wanted.
- Serve These pumpkin cheesecake bars don’t need much else to impress! A little drizzle of caramel sauce or a dollop of whipped topping is an extra special treat!
More fall desserts we love include Dutch apple pie, pumpkin lasagna dessert and pecan pie bars!
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
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Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (18 full sheets or 2 packs)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter , melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese , at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs , at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream , at room temperature
- ½ Tablespoon vanilla extract
Pumpkin filling
- 1 cup pumpkin puree , pat extra moisture with a paper towel
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Optional topping: Whipped cream
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups graham crackers, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup butter until well combined.
- In the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish, firmly press the crumb mixture evenly using a 1/4 measuring cup. Use your fingers to press the crumb mixture firmly onto the sides.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325°F.
Filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 3-8 oz packages cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups sugar on low speed until smooth.
- Add 1 egg at a time, thoroughly mixing before adding the next 2 eggs. Scrape the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix in 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla until smooth and free of any lumps.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 Tablespoon flour, 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon salt until smooth. Whisk in 1 cup of the cheesecake batter until combined.
- Into the crust, add spoonfuls, alternating between each, of cheesecake and pumpkin filling. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the center appears to be set. There may be some minor cracking around the edges of the bars, don't worry.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack before chilling in the fridge at least 8 hours before serving.
- Cut into squares and top with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
If you have some on hand, you’ll want to make sure to drain it through a cheese cloth or fine mesh strainer to ensure it’s thick enough to hold. Then pat it with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
These bars are best eaten once chilled and set, which makes it a great make-ahead dessert for busy celebrations. There’s no need to reheat anything either, simply bring the bars to room temperature before serving!
You can keep the bars uncut until you’re ready to serve them. They’ll stay fresh in the pan or cut into slices for up to 5 days in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
To freeze them, wrap the pumpkin cheesecake bars in plastic wrap. Transfer them to a freezer container and keep them frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or bring them to room temperature for a couple of hours before serving.
Categorized as: American, Bars, Christmas, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Nut-Free, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Baking this now, and smells good! You may want to correct 2 things in the recipe above. You have listed 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla in Ingredients, but 1/2 teaspoon in Instructions. Also left out 1/8 salt in the Instructions. :) I appreciate you listing the ingredients out in the Instructions, as it’s less time spent scrolling back and forth. THANKS!!
Thank you for letting us know and thanks for making the pumpkin cheesecake bars!
They were delicious! :)
So happy to hear they turned out well!
Delicious
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Delicious!! I made this for a Hocus Pocus movie night and everyone went crazy for them! Such a great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cheesecake bars Morgan! One of my favorites too!
You just cannot beat the combination of pumpkin and cheesecake. I can die a happy woman now that I’ve gotten a bite of this – SO GOOD.
My family loved these bars! I wouldn’t change a thing. This is even going on my thanksgiving dessert menu ;)
Made these for a tailgate party last weekend and they were the first treat to disappear! Everyone agreed that the cheesecake filling was perfect with pumpkin. I’m going to make these bars again for my Thanksgiving dessert table!