Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Bars are the ultimate fall dessert that combines a buttery pecan graham cracker crust with TWO luscious layers – creamy vanilla cheesecake on the bottom and spiced pumpkin cheesecake on top.
Love More Pumpkin Desserts? Try My No Bake Pumpkin Delight or this Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Creamy, spiced, and perfectly layered, these Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Bars are a dreamy fall dessert. With a buttery graham cracker crust, smooth pumpkin cheesecake filling, and warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, every bite tastes like autumn comfort. Easy to make and even easier to love, they’re perfect for gatherings or a cozy night in.
Print
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Bars
- Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars
Description
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Bars combine a crunchy pecan graham cracker crust with two silky layers of cheesecake – vanilla and spiced pumpkin. Easier than traditional cheesecake, these bars are perfect for fall gatherings and holiday dessert tables. The freezer trick keeps the layers beautifully distinct for a stunning presentation!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
- 14 sheets graham crackers
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake:
- Four 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
For Serving:
- Whipped cream (lightly sweetened)
- Pinch of extra pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
- Optional: candied pecans or caramel drizzle
Instructions
Crank the oven to 350°F. Spray your pan like you mean it – every corner, every edge. You want these coming out clean later.
Dump pecans and graham crackers in the food processor. Pulse till they’re crumbs. Add sugar and salt, pulse more. Pour in melted butter, run it till it looks like wet sand. Press it into your pan hard. Really hard. Use a glass or measuring cup to pack it down.
Bake 8-10 minutes till it smells good and gets a little color. Let it cool completely – full 30 minutes. Don’t cheat this. Pour batter on warm crust and weird stuff happens. Turn your oven down to 325°F while you wait.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt till smooth. Maybe a minute. Scrape the bowl. Mix in sour cream. Now eggs one at a time, and listen: mix just till each egg’s gone. That’s it. Stop. Over-beating means cracks.
Pour 4 cups of plain batter on your crust. Spread it even. Stick the whole pan in the freezer for 10 minutes. Don’t skip this part or your layers mix together and look like a marble mess.
Stir pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice into leftover batter. Pull the pan from the freezer after 10 minutes. Spoon pumpkin batter over top. Spread gentle so you don’t wreck that first layer.
Bake 325°F for 40 minutes. Middle should jiggle like Jell-O when you shake the pan. Not soupy, not totally firm. When timer goes off, turn the oven OFF, crack the door (I wedge a spoon in), leave it 15 minutes. Slow cooling stops cracks.
Take it out. Run a knife around the edges right now. Let it sit on the counter till room temp – hour and a half-ish. Cover it, put it in the fridge minimum 4 hours. Overnight’s better. I know you don’t wanna wait but cold cheesecake’s the whole point.
Sharp knife. Wipe it between every cut. That’s how you get clean slices. Whipped cream on top, shake of cinnamon.
Notes
- The freezer trick is EVERYTHING. Those 10 minutes of freezing the first layer are what keep your layers beautifully distinct. Skip it and they’ll swirl together – still delicious, but not as stunning.
- Don’t overmix after adding eggs. This is the #1 cause of cracked cheesecakes. Mix on low speed and stop as soon as each egg is incorporated.
- Use PURE pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Check the can – the only ingredient should be pumpkin.
- The jiggle test is your friend. When you gently shake the pan, the center should wobble like soft Jell-O. If it’s liquid-y, it needs more time. If it doesn’t move at all, you’ve overbaked (but it’ll still taste great!).
- For the cleanest cuts, use a long, sharp knife and wipe it clean with a hot, damp towel between every single slice.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes + Cooling/Chilling Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
For the Crust:
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
- 14 sheets graham crackers
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake:
- Four 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
For Serving:
- Whipped cream (lightly sweetened)
- Pinch of extra pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
- Optional: candied pecans or caramel drizzle
Swaps that actually work:
- Walnuts instead of pecans, or leave nuts out completely
- Gingersnaps make a spicier crust than graham crackers
- Make your own pumpkin pie spice: 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, pinch of cloves
- Greek yogurt can replace sour cream but texture gets a little different
Why These Ingredients Work
Pecans in the crust make pumpkin taste better. Sounds weird but it’s true – that toasted nut flavor does something. Room temp cream cheese isn’t negotiable. Cold cream cheese stays lumpy no matter how long you beat it, and lumpy cheesecake sucks.
Sour cream keeps everything from cracking and drying out. It’s got moisture and tang that balances the sweet. Pure pumpkin only – not pie filling. Pie filling’s already loaded with sugar and spices so your bars end up tasting like you dumped a candle in them.
Two layers means my picky eater nephew gets his vanilla, my mom gets her pumpkin, nobody fights. Easy.
Essential Tools and Equipment
You need:
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Food processor
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Offset spatula if you’ve got one
- Wire rack
- Sharp knife
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Bars
Step 1: Prepare Your Pan and Preheat
Crank the oven to 350°F. Spray your pan like you mean it – every corner, every edge. You want these coming out clean later.
Step 2: Make the Pecan Graham Cracker Crust
Dump pecans and graham crackers in the food processor. Pulse till they’re crumbs. Add sugar and salt, pulse more. Pour in melted butter, run it till it looks like wet sand. Press it into your pan hard. Really hard. Use a glass or measuring cup to pack it down.
Step 3: Bake the Crust
Bake 8-10 minutes till it smells good and gets a little color. Let it cool completely – full 30 minutes. Don’t cheat this. Pour batter on warm crust and weird stuff happens. Turn your oven down to 325°F while you wait.
Step 4: Make the Cheesecake Batter
Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt till smooth. Maybe a minute. Scrape the bowl. Mix in sour cream. Now eggs one at a time, and listen: mix just till each egg’s gone. That’s it. Stop. Over-beating means cracks.
Step 5: Create the First Layer
Pour 4 cups of plain batter on your crust. Spread it even. Stick the whole pan in the freezer for 10 minutes. Don’t skip this part or your layers mix together and look like a marble mess.
Step 6: Add the Pumpkin Layer
Stir pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice into leftover batter. Pull the pan from the freezer after 10 minutes. Spoon pumpkin batter over top. Spread gentle so you don’t wreck that first layer.
Step 7: Bake to Perfection
Bake 325°F for 40 minutes. Middle should jiggle like Jell-O when you shake the pan. Not soupy, not totally firm. When timer goes off, turn the oven OFF, crack the door (I wedge a spoon in), leave it 15 minutes. Slow cooling stops cracks.
Step 8: Cool and Chill
Take it out. Run a knife around the edges right now. Let it sit on the counter till room temp – hour and a half-ish. Cover it, put it in the fridge minimum 4 hours. Overnight’s better. I know you don’t wanna wait but cold cheesecake’s the whole point.
Step 9: Slice and Serve
Sharp knife. Wipe it between every cut. That’s how you get clean slices. Whipped cream on top, shake of cinnamon.
You Must Know
Everything needs to be room temperature. Not cool, not slightly cold. Room temp. I pull my cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs out 2 hours before I start. Forgot? Stick wrapped cream cheese in warm water for 10 minutes. This step matters way more than people think.
Personal Secret: I line my pan with parchment that hangs over like handles. Spray pan, lay parchment, spray again. When it’s cold and set, I lift the whole thing out and slice on a cutting board. Game changer for cleanup.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- Freeze that first layer for 10 minutes or forget about pretty layers. They’ll taste fine but look swirled.
- Low speed after eggs go in. High speed whips in air. Air makes cracks.
- Can better say “pumpkin puree” and nothing else. Not pie filling. Not pie mix.
- Jiggle test works. Shake the pan easy. Middle wobbles but doesn’t look wet. Edges stay firm.
- Wipe your knife with hot water between cuts for magazine-perfect slices.
Flavor Variations & Suggestions
Chocolate-Pumpkin: Melt 4 oz dark chocolate, stir into vanilla layer. Ridiculously good.
Spicy Crust: Gingersnaps instead of grahams.
Maple: Replace 1/4 cup sugar with real maple syrup in pumpkin batter.
Salted Caramel: Drizzle caramel on top, hit it with flaky salt.
Chocolate Chip: Sprinkle mini chips between layers.
Boozy: Add 2 tablespoons bourbon to pumpkin if it’s adults only.
Make-Ahead Options
Better the next day, so don’t feel bad making them early.
Bake crust 2 days ahead. Cover it, leave it out.
Whole thing keeps 3 days in the fridge covered.
Freeze them: cut bars, wrap each in plastic, bag them. Good 2 months. Thaw in fridge overnight.
Whipped cream goes on right before serving or it gets sad and soggy.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
- Pan size matters. Different pan means different baking time. Stick with 9×13.
- Slow cooling prevents cracks. Don’t rush.
- No water bath needed. Shape of the pan means even baking without it.
- Eat these cold. Straight from the fridge tastes best.
Serving Suggestions
Simple works – whipped cream and cinnamon. Or go nuts with candied pecans and caramel. Good with coffee or hot cider. Cut small squares for parties so people can grab one while standing around. I throw some fall berries around the platter and call it decorated.
My kitchen smells like a Starbucks when these bake. Cutting into them and seeing those layers stay separate never gets old. I’ve made these probably twenty times and still get excited about it.
How to Store Your Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Bars
Fridge: Cover tight. 4 days max, best in first 3.
Freezer: Wrap bars individually in plastic, bag them. 2 months. Thaw in fridge.
Counter: Nope. Keep them cold.
Reheating: Don’t. Eat cold.
Allergy Information
Got:
- Dairy (cream cheese, butter, sour cream)
- Eggs
- Wheat (graham crackers)
- Tree nuts (pecans)
Swaps:
- Dairy-free: Vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, coconut cream
- Gluten-free: GF graham crackers
- Nut-free: Skip pecans
- Egg-free: Can’t really swap eggs here, they’re structural
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Why did my cheesecake crack?
You mixed too much after adding eggs, oven was too hot, or you cooled it fast. Do the slow cool thing – 15 minutes oven off with door open, then counter, then fridge. Run a knife around edges right after baking too.
Do the layers have to be even or can I do more pumpkin?
Do whatever. I like them even but if you want more pumpkin, use 3 cups vanilla and rest pumpkin. Just freeze that first layer still.
My layers mixed together – what happened?
You skipped the freezer or didn’t wait 10 minutes. That time firms up the bottom so top sits instead of sinks.9×13’s the sweet spot though.
How do I know when they’re done?
Shake the pan gentle. Middle jiggles like Jell-O but doesn’t look wavy. Edges look set. Whole thing wobbling like water means more time needed.
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Tell me how yours came out. Layers stay pretty? Try any variations? I read comments and answer questions, so drop one below.
