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    Home » Desserts » Cheesecake

    Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

    November 10, 2022 By Sam 40 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    collage of pumpkin cheesecake bars, top image of nicely cut bars spread out neatly on wood slab, bottom image of close of cheesecake bar and its swirls

    Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are the easier and less fussy version of pumpkin cheesecake. My recipe uses just 12 ingredients, comes together quickly, and is made WITHOUT a water bath! Includes a how-to video!

    Overhead view of swirled pumpkin cheesecake bars just after cutting.

    Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

    These pumpkin cheesecake bars are the fall version of my classic cheesecake bars, and I think you’re going to be a big fan of this seasonal twist! This recipe is the perfect blend of classic cheesecake swirled with pumpkin pie. The end result is smooth and creamy, and it pairs so nicely with the buttery graham cracker crust.

    This recipe is similar to my pumpkin cheesecake, but without so much of a strong pumpkin punch (I personally prefer my pumpkin desserts tempered with a fair bit of cream cheese). The pumpkin flavor melds perfectly with the cheesecake, making for an irresistible and delicious Fall treat. You’ll love them!

    What you’ll love about them:

    • Easier and quicker than making a whole cheesecake.
    • Pretty swirls make them feel fancy!
    • Balanced flavor; not too much pumpkin.
    • No water bath (because that’s the only way we do cheesecake around here!)!
    • Only 12 ingredients.

    What You Need

    Overhead view of ingredients including cream cheese, pumpkin, sour cream, and more.

    For best results, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before starting this recipe (this helps prevent lumps and cracks!). The following key ingredients shouldn’t be substituted or skipped–take note!

    • Pumpkin puree. Be careful that you don’t accidentally pick up pumpkin pie filling–it’s sold right next to pumpkin puree and looks very similar!
    • Cream cheese. If you’ve made any of my cheesecake recipes before, then you know I only recommend using full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. The spreadable kind in a tub won’t work the same and could prevent your cheesecake from setting up properly.
    • Sour cream. Adding this won’t make your pumpkin cheesecake bars taste like sour cream; instead, it will intensify the cheesecake flavor even more!
    • Pumpkin spice. This is a blend of fall spices that is typically used in pumpkin pie (or lattes!). It’s perfect for pumpkin cheesecake bars too! If you don’t have any on hand, you can make my homemade pumpkin spice instead.

    SAM’S TIP: While I love these with a traditional graham cracker crust, they would also be delicious (and Halloween-y!) with an Oreo crust.

    Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

    Collage of two photos showing a graham cracker crust being prepared and pressed into a square pan.
    1. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugars, then add the melted butter and stir until everything is combined.
    2. Pour into a lined pan and evenly press on the bottom of the pan.
    Collage of four photos showing cheesecake batter being prepared and portioned into two bowls.
    1. Cream together the cream cheese and sugar, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla.
    2. Add the eggs one at a time and stir until each egg is just incorporated.
    3. Scoop a portion of the batter into a separate bowl.
    4. Stir your pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice into this bowl until combined.
    Collage of two photos showing two cheesecake batters being dolloped onto a graham cracker crust before being swirled together.
    1. Alternate adding dollops of each batter into your crust.
    2. Use a knife to swirl the batters together, then bake for 40-45 minutes. Let the cheesecake bars cool to room temperature before chilling in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

    SAM’S TIP: Using parchment paper up the sides of the pan allows the cheesecake to constrict as it cools, which ultimately prevents cracks. This is also why I press my graham cracker crust high up the sides of my pan when I make my classic cheesecake.

    Close-up of a swirled pumpkin cheesecake bar.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use fresh pumpkin puree?

    If the pumpkin puree is prepared the proper way this won’t be an issue. However, you can’t just use leftover pumpkin from your jack o’lantern, blitz it in the blender, and call it a day. Interesting fact: most pumpkin puree isn’t actually made of pumpkins as we know them, but typically certain varieties of squash!

    Do I need to use a water bath?

    No! This recipe (like all of my cheesecake recipes!) is designed to produce crack-free results without a water bath. I have lots of tips for preventing cracks in my video below, so make sure to give that a watch if you’re nervous about cracks.

    Why did my cheesecake bars crack?

    If you baked your bars in a parchment lined sheet and used room temperature ingredients, then most likely culprits include over-beating the batter, opening the oven door while baking, or cooling too quickly.

    Overhead view of swirled cheesecake bars just after being cut.

    Definitely save this one for Thanksgiving–everyone will LOVE it!

    Enjoy!

    Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

    Close-up of a swirled pumpkin cheesecake bar.

    Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

    Pumpkin cheesecake bars are the easier and less fussy version of pumpkin cheesecake. My recipe uses just 12 ingredients, comes together quickly, and is made WITHOUT a water bath!
    Includes a how-to video!
    5 from 29 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: bars, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Chilling Time: 6 hours hours
    Total Time: 7 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 16 servings
    Calories: 315kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    Graham Cracker Crust

    • 1 ½ cups (170 g) graham cracker crumbs
    • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar firmly packed
    • 7 Tablespoons (100 g) salted butter melted

    Cheesecake

    • 24 oz (680 g) cream cheese softened
    • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
    • ½ cup (113 g) sour cream
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3 large eggs lightly beaten

    Pumpkin Cheesecake

    • ⅔ cup (168 g) canned pumpkin
    • 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice

    Recommended Equipment

    • 9×9 baking pan (22x22cm)
    • Mixing bowls
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Crust

    • Preheat oven to 325F (160C) and line a 9×9" (22x22cm) baking pan with parchment paper (optional, but helps prevent cracks and makes removing from the pan and slicing easier).
    • In a mixing bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and sugars. Add melted butter and stir until mixture is combined and resembles wet sand. Pour into prepared pan and press evenly across the bottom of the pan. Set aside (do not bake yet).
      1 ½ cups (170 g) graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 7 Tablespoons (100 g) salted butter

    Cheesecake

    • In a large mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, granulated and brown sugar and use an electric mixer (or paddle attachment on stand mixer) on medium-speed to stir until mixture is smooth and creamy and no lumps remain.
      24 oz (680 g) cream cheese, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
    • Add sour cream and vanilla extract and stir until combined.
      ½ cup (113 g) sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Add eggs, one at a time, stirring on low-speed until just combined before adding the next egg. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure batter is uniform.
      3 large eggs

    Pumpkin Cheesecake

    • Measure out about 1 ½ cups of cheesecake batter and pour into a separate mixing bowl. To this, add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice and stir until combined.
      ⅔ cup (168 g) canned pumpkin, 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice
    • Alternate dollops of the two batters over the prepared crust then swirl with a knife. Transfer to 325F (160C) oven and bake for 40-45 minutes (see note if you are not using a metal baking pan) or until cheesecake is mostly set but center is still slightly jiggly. Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight before cutting and serving.

    Notes

    Storing

    Store covered in the refrigerator or in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 
    You may also freeze (after chilling the bars in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours first) tightly wrapped in an airtight container for several months.

    Baking pan

    This recipe was tested and written for a 9×9 metal pan. If you use a glass or ceramic pan this will likely take longer to bake. Start checking at 45 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 2403IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Darla

      February 20, 2024 at 11:34 am

      Can this be made with pumpkin pie filling or does it have to be pure pumpkin?

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 20, 2024 at 2:36 pm

        Hi Darla! You will want to use pure pumpkin. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Sj

      January 01, 2024 at 7:51 pm

      5 stars
      This turned out great! I ended up baking it in a round cake pan because that’s all I had, but it turned out great like that too.

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 01, 2024 at 8:33 pm

        I’m so glad you still enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Shandra

      November 26, 2023 at 12:21 pm

      5 stars
      These were delicious and easy to make! Everyone loved them and several people asked for the recipe. I was skeptical that the crust didn’t need to be prebaked for a few minutes, but it turned out fantastic. If you like cheesecake, I highly recommend 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 26, 2023 at 8:48 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Shandra! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Marline Holland

      November 26, 2023 at 10:36 am

      5 stars
      OMGosh! This was the best tasting I’ve ever had. So creamy. Everyone loved it

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 26, 2023 at 8:52 pm

        I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them, Marline! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Andrea S

      November 23, 2023 at 9:46 pm

      5 stars
      I had the same issue with the crust sticking to the parchment paper but still giving this 5 stars because its soooo good. My kids loved helping me make it too.
      We watched the video first and cracked all the eggs and gently stirred them before incorporating and had no cracking. We made closer to 2+ cups of the pumpkin and it wasn’t runny.

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 25, 2023 at 9:54 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Andrea! 🙂

        Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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