No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
These Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars, are your ticket to creating a delicious no bake dessert that embraces the warmth and coziness of the fall season and upcoming holidays.
With a creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling, a buttery graham cracker crust and a secret ingredient that guarantees your cheesecake bars will set, this is the perfect dessert to impress your family and friends this holiday season.
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As the seasons change and the holidays draw near, there’s no better way to celebrate all things pumpkin than with a delightful dessert recipe that captures the essence of this special time of year.
This is such an easy recipe, absolutely no baking is involved, (including the graham cracker crust) and these bars are full of creamy cheesecake filling that have all the classic pumpkin pie flavors we know and love.
I love creating warmth and magic through food for my family, and one of the ways I do that is by making cheesecake. It’s truly my love language and everyone benefits!
I guarantee your family will love this recipe too and these cheesecake bars will be your most requested recipe of the year.
If you’re obsessed with pumpkin season, check out some of my other pumpkin desserts like Pumpkin Pie on a Graham Cracker Crust or Pumpkin Cheesecake Fluff!
And if you want to add an extra indulgent cheesecake to your holiday table, try my Chocolate Chip Cheesecake or Cherry Cheesecake.
How To Make No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Full ingredient amounts are listed on the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Equipment Needed
- A baking pan – I use an 8×8″ square pan
- Rubber spatula
- Parchment paper
- Standing electric mixer or a hand mixer
Ingredients
- Graham crackers – Honey graham crackers or cinnamon flavored graham crackers work well for the crust. You’ll need one package or 9 full sheets (1 1/4 cup).
- Brown sugar – This will add a rich flavor and “glue” the graham cracker crust together.
- Melted butter – Basic unsalted butter does the trick.
- Kosher salt – Just a pinch of coarse Kosher salt adds a nice balance to the crust.
- Heavy cream – This lifts the cheesecake. Since this is a no bake dessert, there are no eggs or leavening agents to make the cake the right height.
- Cream cheese – I use full fat cream cheese at room temperature.
- Pumpkin puree – You can use homemade or canned pumpkin puree. Just make sure that it’s not pumpkin pie filling.
- Granulated sugar – Only a little bit is needed to add just the right amount of sweetness.
- White chocolate – This is my secret ingredient to get these no bake cheesecake bars to set perfectly every time. Don’t use white chocolate chips, they make the texture funky.
- Pumpkin pie spice – To boost the pumpkin flavor and make the cheesecake taste just like pumpkin pie.
- Vanilla extract – For added flavor and warmth
Instructions
Make The Graham Cracker Crust:
I adapt my homemade graham cracker crust recipe for these bars, by adding brown sugar and chilling instead of baking!
Line a baking dish (8″x8″) with two sheets of parchment paper, overlapping in a crisscross shape to create a sling. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
Place the graham crackers in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into crumbs. Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a medium bowl and break up any big chunks into fine crumbs. Add the salt. Stir lightly to combine.
In a small bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Microwave until the butter and sugar are completely melted. You can do this in a skillet over medium heat as well.
Pour the butter and sugar over the graham cracker crumbs. Toss the graham crackers in the butter mixture until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
Pour the cracker crumbs into the prepared pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat bottomed glass to press the graham crackers into a compact and even layer.
Put the pan in the fridge to chill while you make the pumpkin cheesecake filling.
Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:
In a small microwave safe bowl, or a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, gently melt the white chocolate. Once melted, set aside to cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment — you can also use a large bowl with a hand mixer– whip the cream on medium speed until frothy.
Increase the speed on the mixer to medium high and whip the cream until stiff peaks have formed. You’ll know you have stiff peaks when you remove the beater from the bowl, and the whipped cream stands up straight on the end without drooping.
Transfer the whipped cream to a separate clean bowl. Add the cream cheese to the stand mixer bowl. Do not wash the bowl first.
Beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth.
Add the pumpkin puree and beat until mixed. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure nothing is missed.
Add the sugar and continue beating on medium speed until incorporated.
Turn the mixer down to low speed, and add the melted white chocolate, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice to the cream cheese mixture. Mix on low speed until all the ingredients look fully incorporated. Give another scrape to the sides of the bowl again and remove from the mixer.
Spoon the whipped cream over the top of the pumpkin mixture.
Using your rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until no more streaks of cream remain.
Take your time and do not stir, as this will deflate the whipped cream.
Remove the graham cracker crust from the fridge and spoon the pumpkin cheesecake filling over the crust.
Gently spread the filling out to the sides, to make sure no corners or edges are missed.
Cover loosely and chill for a minimum of 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
Slicing The Cheesecake Bars
After the cheesecake has set overnight, use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the cheesecake from the baking dish. Transfer to a cutting board.
Grab a large sharp knife, and slice four even columns using an up and down motion vs. a sawing motion. For best results, try to cut the columns with the least amount of cuts possible, and try to use the longest knife you have to avoid recutting lines you’ve already made.
Wipe off the knife blade with a paper towel or kitchen towel in between slices. This makes nice clean slices in the end. Rotate the pan 90 degrees and repeat the slicing motion until you get 16 even squares.
Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of powdered sugar or extra pumpkin pie spice. Keep the cheesecake bars refrigerated until ready to serve.
Variations + Substitutions
- You can use Cool Whip instead of whipped cream if that’s what you have on hand. Thaw the whipped topping and measure out 1 1/2 cups to replace the whipped cream in the recipe.
- Instead of graham crackers, you can use Biscoff cookies or gingersnap cookies for the crust. You’ll need about 1 1/4 cups of crumbs.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can use a mixture of ground cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. You can find the exact amounts in my pumpkin pie post.
Pro Tips
- Keep the heavy cream as cold as possible until you’re ready to whip it.
- I recommend letting the cheesecake bars chill overnight before serving. This will ensure that the bars are completely set and the pumpkin spice flavor will become more intense.
- Make sure to spread the pumpkin cheesecake filling out to the corners and sides of the pan really well. Since these are no bake bars, the filling won’t self-level like it would with baked cheesecake.
- When slicing the cheesecake bars, make sure the cheesecake is very cold and use a long, sharp knife. Don’t drag the knife across the cheesecake when slicing, use a firm downward pressure, picking up the knife and bringing it down again between cuts. Wipe the blade clean in between cuts for neater squares.
Storage
Store leftover pumpkin cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to a month. See below for freezing instructions.
Make Ahead
These cheesecake bars are a great make-ahead dessert. They can be made up to two days ahead before serving and will be perfectly set, with a strong pumpkin spice flavor.
Freezing Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: These bites can be fully prepared, sliced, and then frozen for up to a month. When you’re ready to serve, thaw the bars in the fridge until soft.
FAQs
The cheesecake bars need to chill for a minimum of 6 hours, but preferably overnight to completely set. Make sure to use full fat cream cheese and real white chocolate as these contain high amounts of fat that set well when chilled.
You can store leftover pumpkin in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it for longer storage. You can also use leftovers in other pumpkin recipes like Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Cold Foam, or Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
Yes! See the make ahead section for instructions.
If you make this recipe, give it a 5 STAR Rating and Leave a Comment!
Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars (No Bake Recipe)
No bake pumpkin cheesecake bars full of creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling on a buttery graham cracker crust and set perfectly in the fridge. This is an easy dessert to impress your family and friends this holiday season.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 9 whole graham crackers
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt
Pumpkin Cheesecake Flling
- 3/4 cup of heavy cream, cold
- 8 oz of cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 3 oz of white chocolate
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line an 8"x8" baking dish with two sheets of parchment paper, overlapping in a crisscross shape to create a sling. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
- Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. You can do this in the bowl of a food processor or by crushing the grahams in a ziploc bag with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the salt. Stir lightly to combine.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Microwave until completely melted. You can do this in a skillet over medium heat as well.
- Pour the butter and sugar over the graham cracker crumbs and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Pour the cracker crumbs into the prepared pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat bottomed glass to press the graham crackers into a compact and even layer. Put the pan in the fridge to chill while you make the pumpkin cheesecake filling
- In a small microwave safe bowl, or a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, gently melt the white chocolate. Once melted, set aside to cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream on medium speed until frothy.
- Increase the speed to medium high and whip the cream until stiff peaks have formed. You'll know you have stiff peaks when you remove the beater from the bowl, and the whipped cream stands up straight on the end without drooping.
- Transfer the whipped cream to a seperate clean bowl. Add the cream cheese to the stand mixer bowl. Do not wash the bowl first.
- Beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth.
- Add the pumpkin puree and beat until mixed. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure nothing is missed.
- Add the sugar and continue beating on medium speed until incorporated.
- Turn the mixer down to low speed, and add the melted white chocolate, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice to the cream cheese mixture. Mix on low speed until all the ingredients look fully incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl again, and remove from the mixer.
- Spoon the whipped cream over the top of the pumpkin mixture and using your rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until no more streaks of cream remain. Do not stir, as this will deflate the whipped cream.
- Remove the graham cracker crust from the fridge and spoon the pumpkin cheesecake filling over the crust. Gently spread the filling out to the sides, to make sure no corners or edges are missed.
- Cover loosely and chill for a minimum of 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Once set, use the parchment paper as a sling to remove the cake from the pan. Transfer to a cutting board. Use a long sharp knife to cut the cheesecake into 16 squares. Wipe the knife blade in between cuts for clean slices. *see blog post for cutting tips.
- Keep the cheesecake bars in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
*Cheesecake bars can be made up to two days in advance or frozen for up to a month.
If freezing, thaw in the fridge until soft before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 218Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 112mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g
