We love pumpkin season ver much and one of our favorite things we make every year are our Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars! Our recipe produces the creamiest cheesecake filling with a good dose of pumpkin spiced flavor. We paired ours with a chocolate crust, which we think goes so well with pumpkin and cheesecake!
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Process
CRUST
- Pour wafers and cinnamon into a bowl. Stir in melted butter until fully incorporated.
- Press mixture into a 9”x12” parchment lined baking dish and refrigerate until ready to use.
CHEESECAKE FILLING
- Place cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat together with paddle attachment (you can also use an electric hand mixer).
- Add egg, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add sour cream, flour and milk and stir together until no lumps remain. Fold in vanilla extract and zest until fully incorporated. Set mixture aside.
PUMPKIN FILLING
- Place all pumpkin ingredients into a bowl and stir together until fully combined.
- Add 1 cup of the cheesecake filling to the pumpkin mixture and gently stir together until fully incorporated.
ASSEMBLE
- Preheat oven to 250˚F. Pour cheesecake filling over the chocolate crust.
- Dollop spoonfuls of pumpkin filling all over the top of the cheesecake filling.
- Using a toothpick or two, gently dip ¼ inch of the tip into the mixture and swirl all over the surface, creating a marbling pattern. “Marble” the surface as much or as little as you want.
- Place cheesecake in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheesecake is set, but still wobbly in the center. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool completely. Refrigerate until chill, about 1 hour. Run a small knife along the edges of the cheesecake that touch the pan directly, then carefully take the sides of parchment and lift the cheesecake from the pan. Cut into small pumpkin cheesecake bars and serve.
Tips for Making the BEST Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Don’t over-bake the bars! It’ll cause the surface to crack as it cools and the filling won’t be silky smooth! It’s important that the center of the filling is still loose and wobbly when it’s pulled from the oven.
- We love using the Nabisco Chocolate Wafers for the crust, but if you’re unable to find them, using Oreos (with the creme filling removed) is just fine!
- Firmly pressing the crust into the pan and chilling the crust before adding the filling ingredients will both greatly help crust from crumbling into the filling.
- Since this isn’t a thick cheesecake bar it’s important to just drag the toothpick near the surface of the filling to achieve the marble pattern. Inserting the toothpick too deeply into the filling will cause the toothpick to drag into the pumpkin cheesecake bars crust.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
Make Ahead
Our pumpkin cheesecake bars can be made up to 3 days in advance (for best quality). Once baked, allow cheesecake to fully cool at room temperature. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to slice and serve.
Freezing
Once baked, allow cheesecake to fully cool at room temperature. Life cheesecake from pan and set onto a baking sheet. Freeze cheesecake in freezer until fully frozen, a couple hours.
Remove cheesecake from freezer and peel away parchment. Tightly wrap cheesecake in two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. (this freezing method can be done to the whole cheesecake or wrapped in individual pieces)
Thawing
To thaw, unwrap cheesecake completely and thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour or in the refrigerator overnight. Serve.
More Delicious Pumpkin Dessert Recipes You Will Love
Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
We LOVE these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars very much! They're easy to make, the filling is so creamy and the chocolate cookie crust is kissed with cinnamon for one of the best fall desserts ever! These bars also freeze very well, for whenever you're craving a quick sweet treat!
Servings:
INGREDIENTS
chocolate crust
- 12 ounces chocolate wafer cookies finely ground
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
cheesecake filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of 1 lemon
pumpkin filling
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
INSTRUCTIONS
crust
- Pour wafers and cinnamon into a bowl. Stir in melted butter until fully incorporated.
- Press mixture into a 9”x12” parchment lined baking dish and refrigerate until ready to use.
cheesecake filling
- Place cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat together with paddle attachment (you can also use an electric hand mixer).
- Add egg, one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Add sour cream, flour and milk and stir together until no lumps remain. Fold in vanilla extract and zest until fully incorporated. Set mixture aside.
pumpkin filling
- Place all ingredients into a bowl and stir together until fully combined.
- Add 1 cup of the cheesecake filling to the pumpkin mixture and gently stir together until fully incorporated.
assemble
- Preheat oven to 250˚F.
- Pour cheesecake filling over the chocolate crust.
- Dollop spoonfuls of pumpkin filling all over the top of the cheesecake filling.
- Using a toothpick or two, gently dip ¼ inch of the tip into the mixture and swirl all over the surface, creating a marbling pattern. “Marble” the surface as much or as little as you want.
- before placing in the oven and baking for 25 to 35 minutes or until the center is still loose and wobbly.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool completely. Refrigerate until chill, about 1 hour.
- Run a small knife along the edges of the cheesecake that touch the pan directly, then carefully take the sides of parchment and lift the cheesecake from the pan. Cut into small bars and serve.
NOTES
**Makes 1 (9”x13” Pan)**
Tips for Making the BEST Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Don’t over-bake the bars! It’ll cause the surface to crack as it cools and the filling won’t be silky smooth! It’s important that the center of the filling is still loose and wobbly when it’s pulled from the oven.
- We love using the Nabisco Chocolate Wafers for the crust, but if you’re unable to find them, using Oreos (with the creme filling removed) is just fine!
- Firmly pressing the crust into the pan and chilling the crust before adding the filling ingredients will both greatly help crust from crumbling into the filling.
- Since this isn’t a thick cheesecake bar it’s important to just drag the toothpick near the surface of the filling to achieve the marble pattern. Inserting the toothpick too deeply into the filling will cause the toothpick to drag into the pumpkin cheesecake bars crust.
Calories: 427kcal Carbohydrates: 43g Protein: 6g Fat: 27g Saturated Fat: 15g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 7g Trans Fat: 0.3g Cholesterol: 103mg Sodium: 462mg Potassium: 189mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 30g Vitamin A: 4019IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 75mg Iron: 2mg
CUISINE: American, greek
KEYWORD: chocolate cookie crust, pumpkin cheesecake
COURSE: Dessert
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For anyone having a hard time finding the chocolate wafers in the grocery store , I found the wafers in the international section by the European biscuits and such
Thank you for this tip!
I’m having the same problem that Amy had. Mine have been in the oven for 40 minutes at 250 degrees and is still pudding consistency. I’m up in Denver at altitude so maybe that affects it? Trying 10 more minutes at 300. Smells great though!
Also, quick question: I also had to use Oreo cookies for the crust and it didn’t quite stick well and just crumbles apart. Ideas? They taste delicious though! They ended up so pretty soft, but not pudding-like, after some time in at 300.
Did you remove the Creme filling? It’s important that the creme filling be removed if using Oreos…it’ll do weird things to the crust :)
Yep, I sure did. After some time in the fridge, the crust is holding up much better now! And still delicious :)
Hm, I’ll definitely look into this! Thanks!
I was wondering if I could use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin purée?
Pumpkin pie filling may not work bc it’s usually already loaded with sugar, etc.
These look dreamy! I’ve tried pumpkin cheesecake with a gingersnap crust, but never chocolate. I bet it’s awesome!
Hi, Jenny, Could you please confirm the oven temperature of 250? Mine just didn’t seem to get done even though I left it in 40-45 minutes. Delicious recipe–mine is just more like pudding! Thanks!
Hi Amy, yes I’ve made mine at 250F and it set up quite nicely. I’m sorry yours was much softer. :( If you’re up for giving it another go in the future, I think it’s safe to crack the heat up to 275 or 300 and lessen the bake time. Glad you still enjoyed the recipe despite the bars not fully setting up.
how long should these hold up for?
4-5 days in an airtight container, in the fridge!
Totally making these for Thanksgiving!
I love the chocolate crust. So pretty!
That marbled swirl makes these pumpkin cheesecake bars look extra impressive. I too am celebrating the cooling down of California temperatures because it means: PUMPKIN! Pinning these to make now that things are a bit more fall-like up here in the Bay.
These look gorgeous! That marbled top is to die for. I’m excited for the many pumpkin-flavored recipes to come!
Hooray, a proud pumpkin lover! (I feel surrounded by haters.) This looks like a GREAT contribution to an office potluck!
These are as pretty as I’m sure they are delicious!
These look absolutely beautiful and delicious. Perfect with the chocolate base!
Where do u get the chocolate wafers?ove looked everywhere for thin ones for another of your recipies
I just get them at the grocery store. They’re usually hiding a little bit around the Nilla wafers and graham crackers!
Hey, do you know what the UK equivalent of a chocolate wafer is? Could I maybe use Oreos as the base? Thanks, Becs
If Oreos are your closest source for chocolate wafers, I would remove the Creme filling, and use just the cookies, before grinding them up!
These look amazing! Want one right now!! Our favorite cookie this time of year is pumpkin chocolate chip. Also love filled pumpkin snickerdoodles. Finally, for the grown-ups in the house, a nice batch of pumpkin liquer. All are pretty easy to make and super yummy!!
Whoa, what is this pumpkin liqueur you speak of? Do you literally steep chopped pumpkin in vodka or something else?! So curious!
Ugh. This looks SO good. I love the addition of chocolate wafers for the crust. :] // itsCarmen.com ☼ ☯