Chewy, moist Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are good any time of the year, not just fall. They are a snap to make and utterly dee-licious.
The other day I got a phone call reminding me I had committed to making a dessert for the fall dance committee for my daughter’s school. This neighbor must have grown concerned, having heard I was sick or noticed me trudging from house to car with a box of Kleenex and a red nose.
In my current condition, baking was the last thing I wanted to do. I feel like that whenever I’ve committed to doing something and I’m worried I’ll be unable to give it my all. Suddenly, it goes from being a day I’m looking forward to to a day I’d rather spend doing anything but that.
When you have such a commitment, make these super-easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. They practically make themselves. With only seven ingredients, this recipe can be thrown together in mere minutes for 12 or more people. These Pumpkin Cheesecake bars might be easy, but they taste like they took hours and you don’t even have to deal with flour!
How to Make a Quick Graham-Cracker Crust from Scratch
Graham-cracker crusts are just graham crackers pressed down with melted butter and then baked in a pan. You can use honey graham crackers but those cinnamon graham crackers are my favorite to use. They have a bit more of a pastry-like texture once they’re made into crumbs. Plus, that wonderful cinnamon flavor works well with fall’s creamy pumpkin flavors.
For making them into crumbs, my quickest, easiest go-to method is a big freezer gallon bag and a rolling pin. It’s fast and there’s 0 cleanup!
How do I prep and store these bars?
Cheesecake is a very forgiving and quick cake. You can refrigerate it up to four days and you can freeze it whole or in slices for three months.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with my Seattle’s Best Iced Mocha or a big vat of Spiked Slow-Cooker Apple Cider and all the parents on the committee will vote you Mom of the Year!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 4 8 oz. packages cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- Whipped cream for garnish
- Extra pumpkin pie spice for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F. Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing some overhang for easy removal.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter until well combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan to form a crust. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated.
- Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the crust evenly. To the remaining mixture, add the canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, stirring until smooth.
- Carefully layer the pumpkin mixture over the cream cheese layer in the pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is just set. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and allow the cheesecake to cool gradually for about 1 hour.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 3 hours. When chilled, lift out using the parchment paper and cut into bars.
- Serve each bar with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
Leave a Comment