Easy no bake pumpkin cheesecake bars are the perfect make-ahead fall dessert! They’re made with a buttery pumpkin spice graham cracker crust, a creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling and homemade pumpkin whipped cream!
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This pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe is perfect for when you don’t have space in the oven or just need a simple but special dessert. No baking, no water bath and no cracks to worry about — just mix, refrigerate, and enjoy.
They’re creamy, full of pumpkin flavor, and easy to slice and serve. Enjoy for fall and the holidays!
These bars are full of pumpkin flavor just like my olive oil pumpkin cake and pumpkin spice scones.
For another fall cheesecake, try this apple crumble cheesecake recipe!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Pumpkin flavor– There is pumpkin pie spice in the crust, filling and topping. The filling is made with a whole cup of pumpkin puree! This recipe is perfect for pumpkin fans just like my pumpkin spice bread with cream cheese frosting and pumpkin chocolate pie.
- Creamy filling-Cream cheese and fresh whipped cream makes this filling ultra rich and creamy!
- Easy- These no bake cheesecake bars are much easier than making a full sized cheesecake. Be sure to also try our no bake chocolate mousse bars!
- Make-ahead dessert- The bars gets more firm and delicious while it sits in the refrigerator. This makes it an excellent make-ahead dessert!
Ingredients
- Butter: Melted butter helps the graham cracker crumbs in the crust hold together. It also makes the crust extra rich and delicious. You need 6 tablespoons.
- Graham crackers: You’ll need 1 and 1/2 cups (or 180 g) of graham cracker crumbs. I purchase pre-crushed graham cracker crumbs, but you can also crush graham crackers at home. Crush graham crackers in a food processor or put them in a large freezer storage bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Cream Cheese: Use full fat, room temperature cream cheese. I leave my cream cheese at room temperature for about 4 hours. Room temperature cream cheese prevents lumps in the cheesecake bars. Use blocks of cream cheese not the whipped tubs.
- Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pure canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Heavy cream: Keep heavy cream in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Cold cream whips better. Make sure to beat the whipped cream for the filling to stiff peaks.
Please see recipe card below for complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use salted butter in the crust and skip the added salt.
- Swap in cinnamon graham crackers in place of plain ones.
- Skip the whipped cream topping and serve the bars just as they are.
- I don’t recommend canned whipped cream or Cool Whip for the filling, but either works fine as a topping.
- Add a few drops of orange food coloring to the filling if you’d like a deeper orange shade.
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Quick Video Recap
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1 (Picture 1 above)– Stir graham cracker crumbs, pumpkin pie spice, salt and brown sugar together. Add the melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch square pan.
Step 2 (Picture 2 above)–Beat the cold whipped cream til stiff peaks. Set in fridge.
Step 3 (Picture 3 above)–Mix the cream cheese til completely smooth. Add the brown sugar and salt til combined and smooth then add the vanilla, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice.
Step 4 (Picture 4 above)– Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin cream cheese mixture with a spatula til completely combined.
Step 5 (Picture 5 above)– Spread the filling over the crust.
Step 6 (Picture 6 above)– Chill 8 hours or overnight. For best results, set the bars in the freezer for 30-45 minutes just before serving. Just before serving, remove bars from the pan.
Step 7 (Picture 7 above)– Beat the vanilla/pumpkin spice whipped cream ingredients til medium to stiff peaks. Spread over the cheesecake bars. Use the same bowl to beat the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt to medium peaks. Add the pumpkin puree and mix til stiff peaks.
Step 8 (Picture 8 above)– Use a Wilton 4B or 6B tip and pipe the pumpkin whipped cream into pumpkins on top. Sprinkle extra graham cracker crumbs mixed with a little pumpkin pie spice over top! Slice with a long, sharp knife.
Expert Tips
- Trim the edges before serving to make them look a little neater.
- Use room temperature cream cheese and cold heavy cream. Room temperature cream cheese will give you smooth cheesecake. Cold cream whips best!
- Use pure canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Don’t skip the chill time. The filling firms up while it chills.
- Run a knife down the sides of the pan to make sure the bars are not sticking to the pan before lifting them out.
- Pull up on the parchment paper to lift bars out of the pan.
- Add a couple drops of orange food coloring to the filling for a darker orange color.
Recipe FAQs
Use a long, thin knife to slice. Run the knife under hot water and dry fully between each cut.
No. I haven’t made these bars with canned whipped cream or cool whip and I don’t recommend it. You can use either one as a topping though. I just wouldn’t use them to make the cheesecake filling.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
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No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
- 8 inch square pan or a 9 inch square pan
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter melted
- 1½ cups (180 g) graham cracker crumbs
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) salt
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar light or dark, packed
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) cream cheese full fat, brick style, room temperature
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin puree storebought
- 1¼ teaspoons (1½ teaspoons) pumpkin pie spice
- 1½ teaspoons (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) salt
Vanilla Pumpkin Spice Whipped Cream (optional)
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) powdered sugar sifted to remove lumps
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 1 pinch (1 pinch) salt
Pumpkin Whipped Cream (optional)
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold
- 3 tablespoons (24 g) powdered sugar sifted to remove lumps
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) pumpkin pie spice
- 1 pinch (1 pinch) salt
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) pumpkin puree
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Line an 8 or 9" square pan with parchment paper. Leave a two inch overhang of parchment paper over at least two sides.
- If you're using full graham cracker sheets, pulse in a food processor til they are fine crumbs. You can also place them in a large resealable bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Break up any large bits.
- In a medium bowl, stir to combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Next, stir in the melted butter til well combined.
- Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Set the pan in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- In a medium bowl, beat the cold heavy cream with an electric mixer til stiff peaks. Set bowl in fridge.
- In a large bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese with an electric mixer on low speed til smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and salt til combined and smooth. Mix in the vanilla, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice til smooth and completely combined.
- Use a spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin cream cheese mixture til completely incorporated, avoid overstirring.
- Spread the filling evenly over the graham cracker crust. Use an offset spatula to smooth over the top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or set in an airtight container such as a cake carier and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Vanilla Pumpkin PIe Spice Whipped Cream
- In a medium bowl, beat the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium high speed til medium to stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Pumpkin Whipped Cream
- In a medium bowl, beat the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt with an electric mixer until medium peaks. Add the pumpkin puree and mix til stiff peaks. Do not overmix.
Assembly
- For best results, set pan in freezer for 30-45 minutes just before serving. When ready to serve, lift straight up on the two sides of parchment paper. Set the bars on a cutting board.
- Use an offset spatula to spread the vanilla/pumpkin spice whipped cream over the bars.
- Transfer pumpkin whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 4B or 6B tip and pipe pumpkins on top. Sprinkle extra graham cracker crumbs mixed with a little pumpkin pie spice over top!
- Use a long sharp knife to slice bars. For best results, run knife under hot water and wipe dry in between cuts.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
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