Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Just right for holiday gatherings, family dinners, or even a cozy night at home, these pumpkin cheesecake bars are a crowd favorite.

They’re easy to make, travel well, store beautifully, and deliver a simple yet impressive pumpkin dessert for parties or Thanksgiving.

If you love pumpkin as much as we do, make sure to check out some of my other favorite pumpkin recipes like Libby’s Pumpkin Bread, Libby’s Pumpkin Squares, Pumpkin Fluff, and my classic Pumpkin Pie. You can also make your own Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice, which works perfectly in this recipe.

Why You Will Love These Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

• No water bath needed! Unlike classic cheesecakes that rely on hot water to prevent cracking, these bars bake up beautifully in a simple baking pan.
• Swirl of Pumpkin in every bite! The ribbons of pumpkin mixture give you the right amount of pumpkin flavor without overpowering the creamy cheesecake.
• Homemade Crust and Velvety Filling. The crust uses simple graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, making it quick to prepare and easy to press into an even layer for a homemade graham cracker crust. The texture is smooth and rich thanks to the sour cream and vanilla extract in the creamy cheesecake filling.

Substitutions and Variations

You can replace the graham crackers with gingersnap cookies for a spiced crust that pairs well with the pumpkin filling. You will need about 2 cups of gingersnap crumbs.

You can also swap sour cream for Greek yogurt if needed, although the texture will be slightly different.

Natalie’s Pro Tips

• Lining your pan with parchment paper makes removing the baked cheesecake bars super easy!
• You can crush your graham crackers in a food processor to get fine crumbs, or place them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin. Both options work well and will give you a crumb mixture that presses nicely into the bottom of your baking pan.
• To get the best results, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. This helps the pumpkin cheesecake batter mix smoothly and prevents lumps. 
• Make sure you use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin pie mix.
• These bars slice cleanly once chilled and are ideal for sharing during pumpkin season.
• A small crack or two on top of the bars is completely normal. Slightly underbaking the bars can help prevent cracks. The center of the pan should be a little jiggly when you take it out of the oven. These cheesecake bars may or may not crack as they cool, but the pumpkin swirl usually helps disguise any imperfections. If you want to hide a crack more fully, add a little piped whipped cream or Cool Whip on top before serving. The bars will still taste creamy and delicious either way.

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350℉.  Spray a 9"x13" pan with baking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 2. Place graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs are formed.   Add the butter, sugar, and salt.  Pulse again until combined.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer, using your hand or the bottom of a measuring cup to press into place. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Set aside.

Step 3. Add softened cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla to a large bowl. Beat mixture with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Spread evenly over the crust.

Step 4. Place the pumpkin puree, egg, sour cream, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl and blend until well combined.

Step 5. Spoon large dollops of pumpkin mixture evenly over the cheesecake layer, leaving some space in between. Swirl the pumpkin into the cheesecake mixture with a knife. Be careful not to disturb the crust.

Step 6. Bake pumpkin cheesecake bars for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, before cutting and serving.