Delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Deliciously creamy pumpkin cheesecake bars featuring a buttery crust and a smooth pumpkin-flavored filling, baked to perfection and chilled to set. Perfect for autumn or any festive occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 16 oz (450g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9×9-inch baking pan to form a firm crust.
- Bake the crust: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes until it’s lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Mix until all ingredients are fully combined and the batter is smooth.
- Assemble and bake: Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling over the baked crust and spread it evenly. Bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 40-45 minutes, or until the center is mostly set but still slightly jiggly.
- Cool and chill: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cheesecake bars to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to let the bars fully set.
- Serve: After chilling, cut the pumpkin cheesecake into bars and serve chilled. Optionally garnish with whipped cream or a sprinkle of cinnamon before serving.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute graham cracker crumbs with gluten-free graham crackers or almond flour.
- Ensure the cream cheese is softened to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Use canned pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling for a cleaner pumpkin flavor.
- Allow the bars to chill thoroughly for best texture and flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Keywords: pumpkin cheesecake bars, pumpkin dessert, fall dessert, cheesecake recipe, pumpkin bars
