Looking for more cozy treats to make this fall? Try this classic pumpkin cheesecake recipe and my pumpkin cream cheese bars, next. You might also like these gooey caramel apple cheesecake bars.
Why I Love These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
These rich and creamy pumpkin cheesecake bars are one of my favorite fall desserts! They’re easy to make, with layers of moist, spiced pumpkin cake filled with silky cheesecake and a buttery, crunchy, pecan praline topping. All those flavors and textures work so well together! Here’s why you need to make these for your next fall occasion:
Why I Love These Pumpkin Cheesecake BarsWhat You’ll NeedHow to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake BarsRecipe TipsHow to Store Cheesecake BarsMore Pumpkin DessertsGet the Recipe
Pecan praline topping. My chewy praline recipe uses simple ingredients and adds crunch, nuttiness, and an irresistible caramelized flavor to these cheesecake bars. It reminds me a bit of a crumb cake or coffee cake. Too good! Seriously irresistible. Whether I make these pumpkin cheesecake bars as a weeknight treat, Thanksgiving dessert, or for a potluck, they’re a total crowd-pleaser. They’re loaded with fall flavors like hearty pumpkin and warm spices, and they’re indulgent but not too heavy. Quick and easy to make. These rich pumpkin cheesecake bars taste like they come from a 5-star bakery, but they’re ready to eat in an hour or less!
What You’ll Need
Here are some notes on the ingredients you’ll need to make this favorite fall dessert. Head to the recipe card at the end of the post for a printable list with the exact amounts for each ingredient.
Butter – Salted or unsalted, brought to room temperature. Brown Sugar – I prefer light brown sugar for this recipe, but you can use dark brown sugar or granulated sugar in a pinch. Pumpkin Pie Spice – This is a classic spice blend made with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice (or cloves) to flavor pumpkin pie. You’ll find it in most major supermarkets, or you can make your own using the individual spices. Vanilla – Always use 100% pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. Eggs Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt Canned Pumpkin – Make sure to use 100% canned pumpkin puree (unflavored and unsweetened). Not to be confused with canned pumpkin pie filling, which is NOT the same thing. Flour – All purpose works perfectly here. Cheesecake Filling – I use an adaptation of my classic cheesecake filling. All you need is room-temperature cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Praline – Made with COLD butter, sugar, flour, and chopped pecans. You can use any nut you’d like. Other good choices are walnuts or hazelnuts.
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
These chewy, creamy pumpkin cheesecake bars have three different components (cake, filling, and topping), and each layer is easy to put together. Follow along below, and scroll down to the recipe card for printable instructions.
Make the batter. First, cream together the butter and sugar, then add pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, eggs, salt, and leavening (baking powder and baking soda). Slowly mix in the pumpkin puree. Finally, add the flour and mix until that’s combined. Make the cheesecake filling. Meanwhile, beat sugar with softened cream cheese. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until it’s nice and smooth.
Assemble. Spread half of the pumpkin cake batter into the bottom of a lined and greased 9×13″ baking dish. Pour over the cheesecake filling, and top that with a final layer of cake batter.
Add the praline. To make the pecan topping, mix butter and brown sugar, then add chopped pecans and flour and mix to form a crumble. Sprinkle the pecan praline evenly over the top of the bars. Bake. Bake these pumpkin cheesecake bars at 350ºF in the center of the oven. It usually takes about 30-35 minutes for the center to bake through. Afterward, cool the bars on a wire rack.
Recipe Tips
Don’t over-mix the cake. When you’re making moist and fluffy pumpkin cake, make sure that you don’t over-mix the batter. Cake batter that’s been over-mixed results in a cake that’s dense and chewy. Mix the batter until the ingredients are just incorporated. Use room-temperature eggs. I always use room-temperature eggs when baking. Eggs that are cold don’t mix as well with the other ingredients, which will make your cake have a worse texture. If you use room-temperature eggs, the cake will be smooth, light, and fluffy. Cool completely. It’s really tempting to eat these decadent pumpkin cheesecake bars as soon as they come out of the oven. But for best results, let the dessert cool completely before cutting into it and eating it. The pumpkin bars will firm up as they rest, giving them a better texture and making them easier to cut. Rotate if necessary. It’s a good idea to check on your pumpkin cheesecake bars halfway through baking time. Some ovens don’t heat evenly, so the bars might be cooking unevenly. If the dessert looks like it’s cooking more on one side than on the other, simply rotate the baking dish. Use different nuts. I use pecans when I make this fall dessert because I think they go so well with rich pumpkin and warm pumpkin pie spices. But you can use any type of nuts that you like for the buttery praline. Feel free to use walnuts, hazelnuts, or whatever type of nut is your favorite. Scale the recipe. This recipe makes about 30 tender, praline-covered pumpkin cheesecake bars. But it’s really easy to increase the size of the recipe. If you’re hosting or attending a party, you can double or triple these cheesecake bars if needed (Tip: Use the 2X and 3X toggles in the recipe card to scale the ingredient amounts).
How to Store Cheesecake Bars
Refrigerate. These creamy pumpkin cheesecake bars last in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make sure to let the bars cool completely, then refrigerate them in an airtight container. Freeze. To freeze these bars, let them cool completely and place them in an airtight container or bag. They’ll last in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw the bars overnight in the fridge before serving.
More Pumpkin Desserts
Pumpkin Cookies Pumpkin Cobbler Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes Pumpkin Blondies Pumpkin Bread
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1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1 cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup canned pumpkin 1 cup flour
For the Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Praline Topping
1/4 cup cold butter 1/2 cup light brown sugar 3/4 cup flour 3/4 cup chopped pecans
