Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Must Try

Creamy and oh so flavorful, these pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars make a larger batch and feel special on any holiday table or family gathering. Family and friends will be excited when these pumpkin cheesecake bars hit the table with their pretty swirl of pumpkin.

Pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars with a graham cracker crust on a white counter with more bars on a plate in the background.

 

Why We Love Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

  • Worth The Effort For Pumpkin Fans – Pumpkin recipe fans get really excited about all the pumpkin desserts, but these cheesecake bars are just full of creamy pumpkin flavor.
  • Great For Thanksgiving Or Fall Baking – Make these bars instead of traditional pumpkin pie, people will make a little extra room after their Thanksgiving meal.
  • Dessert That Feels Extra Special – I’ve brought lots of desserts to share with family and friends, and I always receive the most cheers and excitement when it’s one of my cheesecake recipes!

Ingredients For Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients for pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars on a counter in bowls with text labels.Ingredients for pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars on a counter in bowls with text labels.

Ingredients For The Crust

  • graham crackers rectangular sheet
  • butter salted, melted

Ingredients For The Cheesecake Filling

  • cream cheese softened, it will work best if room temperature
  • white sugar
  • vanilla extract
  • eggs
  • sour cream

Ingredients For The Pumpkin Filling

  • pumpkin puree – you can use canned or homemade pumpkin puree
  • brown sugar
  • pumpkin pie spice – homemade or storebought

How To Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Making The Crust

  1. Line a 9×13 glass baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place half of the graham crackers in a food processor and blend until there are fine crumbs. Pour crumbs into a medium-sized bowl. Repeat with the remaining graham crackers, adding the crumbs to the bowl.
The base of a food processor full of graham cracker crumbs after grinding.The base of a food processor full of graham cracker crumbs after grinding.
  1. Add melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs and stir. Pour the cookie mixture into the prepared glass pan, spreading evenly in the pan. With a second piece of parchment paper and the back of a ½ cup measuring cup press the graham cracker crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.
  2. Bake the crumbs for 10 minutes.  Allow the pan to cool completely.

Making The Cheesecake Filling

  1. Cut the softened cream cheese into cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. With an electric hand mixer or stand mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes.
A mixing bowl with cream cheese that has been whipped with bowls of vanilla, sugar, eggs and sour cream nearby.A mixing bowl with cream cheese that has been whipped with bowls of vanilla, sugar, eggs and sour cream nearby.
  1. Add the sugar and the vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. Blend until fully mixed into the cream cheese.
  2. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat them quickly with a fork, mixing well. Add the eggs to the cream cheese mixture half at a time, mixing them into the cream cheese each time until smooth with an electric mixer. Add the sour cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently mix until just combined.

Making The Pumpkin Filling

  1. In a medium bowl, add pumpkin puree, brown sugar and pumpkin spice, then mix well. Add 2 cups of the cheesecake filling, setting the rest of the cheesecake filling to the side. Mix the pumpkin mixture with the cheesecake mixture until combined.
  1. Scoop about ½ cup at a time and fill the pan with pumpkin pie filling and cheesecake batter filling, alternating between the two fillings on top of the graham cracker crust.
  1. Using a knife, swirl pumpkin filling with cheesecake filling to give the cheesecake swirl look. Lift the pan and lightly tap on the counter to settle the filling into the pan.
A pan full of pumpkin and cheesecake swirled ion the pan before baking.A pan full of pumpkin and cheesecake swirled ion the pan before baking.

Baking The Bars

  1. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 325 degrees Farenheight. The center will be set with a little wiggle in the middle. You can test by holding the pan with hot pads and gently rolling the pan from left to right just a little. The top center of the pan should not look super liquidy but will still jiggle a little, that’s when you know the cheesecake is set. The top of the bars should be dry when touched lightly.
A baking dish full of swirled pumpkin cheesecake bars after baking.A baking dish full of swirled pumpkin cheesecake bars after baking.
  1. Cool the pumpkin cheesecake bars for 1 hour, then place in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. Slice into 24 pieces, then serve and enjoy!
Sliced pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars on a cutting board, surrounded by small pumpkins and cinnamon sticks.Sliced pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars on a cutting board, surrounded by small pumpkins and cinnamon sticks.

Variation Ideas For Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Swap In Gingersnap Cookies – Use crunchy gingerbread, ginger snap style cookies, or even Biscoff cookies for the crust in place of the graham cracker crumbs. It gives the bars a delicious warm spice, and makes a delicious cookie crust you’ll love!
Swap Shortbread Cookies Or Golden Oreos – You can make more of a vanilla flavored crust which is equally delicious by using shortbread cookies or Golden Oreos for the crust instead of the graham crackers.

A plate stacked with pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars with more cheesecake bars lined up on a cutting board in the background.A plate stacked with pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars with more cheesecake bars lined up on a cutting board in the background.

Why Is My Cream Cheese Mixture Lumpy?

Sometimes if the cream cheese isn’t soft enough the mixture will be lumpy. It usually means you didn’t allow the cream cheese to soften enough. I’ll usually wait a few minutes and whip it again until smooth before adding the other ingredients. This makes sure I still have smooth, creamy cheesecake bars.

A stack of three pumpkin cheesecake bars with a graham cracker crust, in front of a whole pumpkin and plates.A stack of three pumpkin cheesecake bars with a graham cracker crust, in front of a whole pumpkin and plates.

How Long Will Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars Last?

Expect these pumpkin cheesecake bars will last for about 4 days if stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.

If I store the bars in the glass pan, I use a tight-fitting cling wrap to keep them fresher. The bars will taste freshest if enjoyed within the first 24 hours, but we definitely enjoy for several days when they last!

How Do I Slice These Pumpkin Bars Evenly And Cleanly?

I find it easier to cut these bars if I pop them in the freezer for a little while to get nice clean lines. I use a large knife or even a large serrated bread knife.

Warm the knife in some hot water, then slice by pressing straight down into the cheesecake. Don’t drag the knife, instead pull the knife straight back up! Then wipe the knife clean with a paper towel and make the next cut to cleanly cut the bars.

How Do I Make These Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars Ahead Of Time?

These creamy pumpkin cheesecake bars, like most cheesecake freezes really well. I highly recommend making this dessert ahead of time, freezing it, and then enjoying when it’s time to celebrate. Place the bars in a covered freezer safe container or gallon sized freezer safe zip top bag, then just defrost on the counter a little before serving.

Can I Freeze Leftover Bars?

Yes you can freeze sliced bars for later. I like to freeze individually sliced bars on a baking sheet before then adding them to a freezer bag or freezer container. These dessert bars will taste best if enjoyed within 2-3 months.

More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

Close view of a pumpkin swirl cheesecake bar with a few more bars in the background.Close view of a pumpkin swirl cheesecake bar with a few more bars in the background.
RecipeRecipe

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Chill Time 7 hours

Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars has flavorful pumpkin pie in creamy cheesecake layered on an easy to make graham cracker crust for the perfect fall dessert!

Prevent your screen from going dark

  • 1 9 x 13 glass baking pan

  • 1 parchment paper

  • 1 Food Processor can also use a strong zip-top bag with a rolling pin, see notes

  • 2 medium sized bowls

  • 1 Measuring cups and spoons

  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl

  • 1 Silicone spatula

  • 1 Electric Mixer can be a stand mixer or hand mixer

  • 1 Small bowl

  • 1 Butter knife

  • 1 large knife

For The Cheesecake Filling

Making The Crust

  • Line a 9×13 glass pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Place half of the graham crackers in a food processor and blend until there are fine crumbs. Pour crumbs into a medium-sized bowl. Repeat with the remaining graham crackers, adding the crumbs to the bowl.

  • Add melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs and stir. Pour the cookie mixture into the prepared glass pan, spreading evenly in the pan. With a second piece of parchment paper and the back of a ½ cup measuring cup press the graham cracker crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake the crumbs for 10 minutes.  Allow the pan to cool completely.

Making The Cheesecake Filling

  • Cut the softened cream cheese into cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. With an electric hand mixer or stand mixer whip the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes.

  • Add the sugar and the vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. Blend until fully mixed into the cream cheese.

  • Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat them quickly with a fork, mixing well. Add the eggs to the cream cheese mixture half at a time, mixing them into the cream cheese each time until smooth with an electric mixer. Add the sour cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently mix until just combined.

Making The Pumpkin Filling

  • In a medium bowl, add pumpkin puree, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, then mix well. Add 2 cups of the cheesecake filling, setting the rest of the cheesecake filling to the side. Mix the pumpkin mixture with the cheesecake mixture until combined.

  • Scoop about ½ cup at a time and fill the pan with pumpkin filling and cheesecake filling, alternating between the two fillings.

  • Using a knife, swirl pumpkin filling with cheesecake filling. Lift the pan and lightly tap on the counter to settle the filling into the pan.

Baking The Bars

  • Bake for 40-45 minutes at 325 degrees Farenheight. The center will be set with a little wiggle in the middle. You can test by holding the pan with hot pads and gently rolling the pan from left to right just a little. The top center of the pan should not look super liquidy but will still jiggle a little. The top of the bars should be dry when touched lightly.

  • Cool the pumpkin cheesecake bars for 1 hour, then place in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. Slice into 24 pieces, then serve and enjoy!

If you don’t have a food processor you can blend the cookies into crumbs using a gallon size freezer zip-top bag full of the cookies. Gently crush the cookies with a rolling pin or a heavy metal can. (like canned soup or canned vegetables)
Blotting the pumpkin puree with paper towels will help to make sure your cheesecake bars don’t become too liquidy. Pumpkin both canned and fresh has a lot of water in it, and the amount of water can vary from can to can based on the pumpkin inside. Blot the pumpkin well before adding it to these cheesecake bars and most baked goods for the best results.
When cutting the bars use a large knife. Keep a paper towel nearby and clean the knife in between each slice for clean slices.

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2333IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg

Keyword cheesecake, pumpkin, pumpkin dessert, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, Thanksgiving

Did You Make This?

I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!

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