Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars start with a graham cracker crust filled with a cheesecake layer, a pumpkin cheesecake layer, and topped with homemade whipped cream. Then, pumpkin spice is sprinkled over the top for even more pumpkin spice flavor! If these sound good to you, I know you will love my Pumpkin Cheesecake!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Yes, it’s that time of year again…pumpkin spice time! I have lots of pumpkin spice recipes to choose from, including homemade pumpkin spice. For these bars, we even added a little more pumpkin spice to the recipe to make the flavor stand out even more!
Bar Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice: From the crust to the filling to the topping, you will use pumpkin spice. You can make your own homemade pumpkin spice or use store-bought.
Graham Crackers:ย I used about 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs for this recipe. You can buy graham cracker crumbs or you can crush your own (about 14 sheets of graham crackers for 2 cups crushed).
Cheesecake Layers: The cream cheese mixture is divided into two layers. The first layer is a layer of cheesecake with the second cheesecake layer has added pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.
Pure Pumpkin: Be sure you are using Pure Pumpkin (formerly known as pumpkin puree), not pumpkin pie filling for this recipe. Pure pumpkin is cooked pumpkin that is blended or mashed into a smooth texture.
Topping: The topping for the bars is my homemade whipped topping with pumpkin spice sprinkled on top (optional). You could also use a cool whip.
Can I Freeze These Bars?
Yes! But, make sure you freeze the bars before adding the whipped topping. To freeze:
- Let the bars cool completely.
- Remove the bars from the pan and place them on a plate (cut or uncut). Put the cheesecake (uncovered) in the freezer for about an hour.
- After the hour in the freezer, remove the cheesecake bars and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped cheesecake into a labeled and dated zipped freezer bag. If stored properly, it will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
More Delicious Bars
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups (14-16 sheets, 168 g) honey graham crackers, finely crushed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ยฝ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
- 1ยฝ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
Topping
- 1 pint (454 g) heavy cream
- ยผ cup (31 g) confectioners' sugar
- pumpkin spice, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ยฐF. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Crust
- In a medium bowl, add graham crackers, sugar, and pumpkin spice. Mix together.
- Add melted butter and mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated (no dry spots).
- Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Chill the crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Filling
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese and sugar. Using a handheld mixer, mix on low until creamy.
- With the mixer on low, add eggs, one at a time, until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Pour half of the cream cheese mixture onto the crust. Use a spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Set in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes.
- To the remaining cream cheese mixture, add the pumpkin and pumpkin spice. Mix on low to combine.
- Carefully spoon the pumpkin mixture over the cream cheese mixture, smoothing into an even layer.
- Bake 50-60 minutes or until cheesecake is slightly set around the edges and jiggly in the center.
- Bring the bars to room temperature. Then, chill them in the refrigerator for 4 hours, up to overnight, before adding the topping.
Topping
- Add heavy cream to a mixing bowl. Start mixing at the lowest speed, and then gradually increase speed to medium until the cream starts to get thicker. (The gradual progression prevents you from spraying yourself with cream.)
- When the cream starts to thicken, stop the mixer. Slowly add in the confectioners' sugar and then resume mixing again, starting with low speed and increasing to medium speed, and eventually moving to a high speed.
- The cream will thicken and start to peak. Mix on high until the cream is thick and stiff. This happens quickly, the stage between soft and stiff peaks, so watch it closely.
- Spread the homemade whipped topping evenly over the chilled cheesecake bars.
- Sprinkle with pumpkin spice and serve.
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THANK YOU
Excellent recipe!!! I like they used real whipping cream instead of whipped topping. Have made using crushed ginger snaps for the crust as well.