This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars are full of fall spices. This layered dessert is sure to impress at any holiday gathering!
Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars are a tasty pumpkin dessert, perfect for fall! For more simple layered pumpkin desserts, try our Pumpkin Lasagna and Pumpkin Pudding Parfaits. Both are delicious, and have so many layers of pumpkin goodness.
Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin desserts are always a huge hit with me! It’s taken quite some time for certain members of my family to get on board, but recipes like these Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars have slowly converted them.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are a combination of two holiday classics: Pumpkin Pie and Traditional Cheesecake. They’re thick, sweet, and full of fall spices.
While these do require a bit of extra work, they are totally worth it. And the steps themselves are really simple.
You can easily double this recipe to fit a 9×13-inch pan. It’s a great dessert to take to parties or gatherings, especially if you want to impress your friends and family. I mean, look at those perfect layers right there!
How to make Them
As we mentioned, these Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars take a little bit of time to make, but they’re worth it. There are short cuts that can be made, but if you want them to look as good as they do above, then we suggest following these steps.
CRUST. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl. Press into a foil-lined 8×8 baking pan.
CHEESECAKE LAYER. Use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Add eggs, mix until just combined. Pour the cheesecake batter over the graham cracker crust.
BAKE. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until set. Let cool.
PUMPKIN LAYER.
- Pumpkin. While the crust is baking, separate the three remaining eggs. In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine the yolks, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, milk, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Cook, whisking every few minutes for 10 minutes, or until mixture reaches 160°. Remove from the heat, whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Gelatin. In a small microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Let stand for 1 minute, then microwave for 30 seconds, or until the gelatin is dissolved. Stir into pumpkin mixture, set aside.
- Egg whites. In the top of a double boiler, combine the granulated sugar, egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer set at low speed for 30 seconds, then set the pan over boiling water (the pan shouldn’t touch the water). Beat at high speed, for about 7-9 minutes, or until it’s stiff and glossy. Remove from the heat, and beat an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Layer. Fold into the pumpkin mixture, then spread evenly over cream cheese layer.
CHILL + SERVE. Refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate for an additional 3 hours – or until firm. Garnish with Whipped Cream and Pumpkin Pie Spice or ground cinnamon if desired.
tips + variations
Double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, make your own by:
- Simmering a few inches of water in saucepan.
- Then, stack a metal or glass bowl on top of a saucepan, making sure the bowl fits on top.
- The steam from the hot water will heat the bowl gently and evenly, without burning or sticking.
- Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl on top.
Pumpkin puree. Be sure to use a can of pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
Make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice using spices you most likely already have in the cupboard: ground nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
Crust. Replace the graham crackers with an equal amount of vanilla wafers or gingersnaps. Use a food processor, or blender, to produce fine cracker crumbs.
Toppings. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the dollop of Whipped Cream. Or, drizzle with Caramel Sauce.
Clean even slices. To make the prettiest slices, all you need is a large kitchen knife, a tall cup of hot water, and kitchen towel. Using the foil, lift the dessert out of the pan. Heat the knife by placing it in the hot water, wipe dry and slice. Wipe the blade clean, and reheat it after each cut.
Storing info
Make ahead of time. Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars can be made up to 24 hours in advance, and should be stored and covered in the fridge, until ready to serve. Wait to add Whipped Cream until before serving.
For more pumpkin recipes, check out:
- Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake with Oreo Crust
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Custard
- Easy Pumpkin Cobbler
- Pumpkin Delight
Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
For the Cheesecake Layer:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
For the Pumpkin Layer:
- 3 egg yolks
- 15 oz can solid-packed pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 egg whites
- pinch cream of tartar
For the Garnish:
- whipped cream
- pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and the melted butter. Press into a foil-lined 8×8-inch pan.
- In a small bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the eggs, mix just until combined, then pour over crust. Place in the oven and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until set. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.
- Meanwhile, separate the three remaining eggs. In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine the yolks, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, milk, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Cook, whisking every few minutes for 10 minutes or until mixture reaches 160°. Remove from the heat, whisk in the vanilla extract.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water; let stand for 1 minute, then microwave for 30 seconds or until the gelatin is dissolved. Stir into pumpkin mixture; set aside.
- In the top of a double boiler, combine the granulated sugar, egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer set at low speed for 30 seconds, then set the pan over boiling water (the pan shouldn’t touch the water). Beating at high speed, for about 7-9 minutes, or until it’s stiff and glossy. Remove it from the heat, and beat an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Fold into the pumpkin mixture then spread evenly over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate for an additional 3 hours or until firm. Garnish with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice; if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I thought this recipe would be a blast because the pictures looked great and the recipe sounded simple enough. Well I was wrong. Even though I followed everything exactly, the top layer was soupy and tasted no better than a can of pumpkin purée. The cheesecake was the only good part about this recipe(can’t go wrong with that). Save your money and your time. AVOID this awkward recipe. Just make a batch of cheesecake, divide it in half, and add pumpkin to one half. Then bake each layer separately. There are many recipes for good pumpkin cheesecake bars, just not this one.
Sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy the recipe. Thanks for the feedback and for giving it a try.
I thought this would be a great recipe because who can go wrong with cheesecake and pumpkin!! Well, EVIDENTIALLY THIS RECIPE!!
SKIP IT!! I CAN’T SAY THAT ENOUGH!! I was about ready to throw in the towel and I still think my Thanksgiving dessert will be a flop!! THANKS TO THIS RECIPE!! I somehow don’t believe this is the right recipe for the picture… I WOULD LIKE THE SIMPLE VERSION TO CUT CORNERS!! LIKE — CUT A WHOLE HALLWAY!! SERIOUSLY– GO TO NEXT RECIPE1
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy the recipe.
Pumpkin mixture was like soup… needed more gelatin! Like 6 times more… egg whites were stiff in 2mins w Bamix beater …not 7/8mins… why do we have to steam them?
People liked the taste but presentation was off with all the pumpkin layer sliding all over , impossible to serve neatly…
Excellent! The only thing I don’t bother with is the step with the egg whites. I like the richness of the pumpkin layer without yet. After refrigerating (or freezing) overnight. I add a layer of fresh whipped cream with some marscapone in it. Garnish with candied ginger nibs and vanilla cinnamon sugar mix.
Well leave it to me Thanksgiving Eve and I try a new recipe. Hubs is out getting more ingredients for the next try. The cheesecake layer came out great and so did the pumpkin, I think I beat the egg whites too long as well, but they still seemed okay. But the second I added them to the pumpkin mixture that’s where it went south, they “curdled” or separated into a mess. No folding here…. so I’m going to try again and cool the pumpkin mixture some more before folding and see how that goes. This recipe is a challenge that’s for sure, but man it looks delicious!