This great recipe for easy Swirl Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars has a buttery gingersnap crust that explodes with flavor matching perfectly with the pumpkin pie spice flavors in the cheesecake swirl! Perfect for Thanksgiving, Fall, and Halloween.
The highlight of these bars for me is the gingersnap crust as it has so much more flavor than graham cracker crumbs and is just as easy to make as a graham cracker crust. But I love pumpkin too, and anything pumpkin in this house is always a huge hit. Also, try our delicious Pumpkin Caramel Sauce, you will love it with this cheesecake too. Our Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting also love this sauce.
If you love cheesecake you are going to go crazy for our Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake or our fabulous No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake.
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What Is In Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars?
The ingredients are simple, the result is wonderful!! You probably have a lot of the ingredients on hand anyway to make this delightful pumpkin dessert.
You probably just need to pick up some gingersnaps and cream cheese and you are ready to make this easy dessert.
I love using pumpkin pie spice for pumpkin recipes, but I also like to amp the flavors up a bit too with extra ginger and cinnamon. You want the dessert to explode with fall spices in every bite. It is not overly spiced as you have a lot of cream cheese to work with.
Ingredients
Crust
- Ginger snap cookies
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Melted butter
- Sugar
- Kosher salt
Filling
- Light cream cheese
- Sugar
- Large eggs
- Sour cream
- Pumpkin puree
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
How To Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
The first thing you need to make is the scrumptious gingersnap crust.
Place the gingersnaps in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
Add the melted butter, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and sugar and pulse to combine.
Using a flat bottomed measuring cup, press the mixture lightly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes or until set. Preheat oven to 325F.
Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer or using a hand mixer in a large bowl on medium-high until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs and beat to combine, reduce speed to low, and add the sour cream, mix to combine.
Transfer 1 cup of the filling to a small bowl and set aside.
Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, and cinnamon to the remaining filling and mix until well combined, scraping down the side of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
Pour the pumpkin filling over the crust and smooth out.
Note: Use real pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling for this recipe as that has added ingredients that you don’t want in your bars and the flavor and texture will not be the same.
Dollop the reserved filling onto the pumpkin and swirl with a toothpick, end of a sharp knife or skewer to create a marbling effect with the cheesecake layer.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until it is just set. The middle should still be a little giggly.
Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes (may take longer, cool completely), then refrigerate for 2 hours to set.
These are easy steps to follow with a luscious result.
Tips For Perfect Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Firstly you don’t have to worry about cheesecake bars cracking like a big cheesecake, so you don’t need to do any additional treatments like a water bath etc. for baking.
Parchment paper is a must so that the bars can be easily removed from the pan. Make sure it overhangs so you can pick up the entire cheesecake if you would like to cut the pieces outside of the baking dish.
Grind the gingersnap crumbs finely and evenly. Press lightly into the pan. Don’t overwork the crumbs as they will get tough and hard. The bars will then be harder to cut and eat.
Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature to allow for easy mixing. If you don’t, you can get lumps in the cream cheese that are very hard to beat out smoothly.
Allow the bars to cool completely before refrigerating them. If you don’t, your crust can become soggy and you will have condensation on the top of your cheesecake. If it isn’t cooled in 30 minutes, just wait longer.
Don’t over-swirl as you want a nice mixture between the two different cheesecakes. You will taste the difference when enjoying it too. One is a bit more tart which balances gorgeously with the spiced pumpkin layer.
How Far in Advance Can You Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars?
Absolutely you can make these not only the day before but two days before if need be, which helps so much for entertaining.
Cheesecake, like a few other things (stews, soups, etc.), actually tastes better if left in the refrigerator for a day or two to meld. Recipes like this come in very handy for the busy holiday season.
Doing a bar instead of a big cheesecake will have everyone wanting a dessert. They are the perfect size after a big meal.
Do Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Need To Be Refrigerated?
Just like any cheesecake, Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars need to be refrigerated and served cold. So save a big space for them in the fridge.
If you have a container that comes with a lid this is very handy to stack on other dishes to make more room in your refrigerator. We have one linked above for you to see.
A dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon is all you need for serving.
As I said, cover your pumpkin cheesecake bars with a lid in the refrigerator but if you don’t have one, then use plastic wrap or foil.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars?
Leftovers? I don’t think you will have any! But if you do have a piece of two left you can freeze it. The pumpkin cheesecake bars will last through up to a week in the refrigerator.
Freeze in a tightly sealed container for up to a month. They can be frozen in individual bars or in larger pieces.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Enjoy!
We love pumpkin recipes and have enjoyed so many every fall. Some sweet and some savory, but all great recipes. Try one, two, or a whole bunch this fall and holiday season. Your friends and family will love you for it.
38 Extraordinary Pumpkin Recipes
Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Cheesecake
Mini Pumpkin Bread Recipe with Salted Caramel Buttercream
Bread Machine Pumpkin Pie Spice Loaf
Creamy Little Potato Pumpkin Soup
Sweet Spice Pumpkin Turnovers
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Swirl Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups ginger snap cookies 40
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
Filling:
- 4 – 8 oz bars of light cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
- 1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- 2. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with 2 crisscross pieces of parchment paper, making sure that you leave an overhang on all sides.
- 3. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.
- 4. Place the gingersnaps in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
- 5. Add the melted butter, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and sugar and pulse to combine.
- 6. Using a flat bottomed measuring cup, press the mixture lightly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes or until set.
- 7. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer on medium-high until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- 8. Add the eggs and beat to combine, reduce speed to low and add the sour cream, mix to combine.
- 9. Transfer 1 cup of the filling to a small bowl and set aside.
- 10. Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, cinnamon to the remaining filling and mix until well combined, scraping down the side of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- 11. Pour the pumpkin filling over the crust and smooth out.
- 12. Dollop the reserved filling onto the pumpkin and swirl with a toothpick or skewer to create a marbling effect.
- 13. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until it is just set. The middle should still be a little
giggly. - 14. Allow to cool at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, then refrigerate for 2 hours to set.
Comments & Reviews
Kita Bryant says
These bars look absolutely delicious! I need to try some of these for sure.
Long says
These bars look so yummy.I am wondering what you think about making them in a 6″ springform pan so they are more like an actual cheese cake.
Do you think it would work?
Thanks for any suggestions in advance.
Tara Noland says
A 6″ would be too small, probably a 9″ would be okay but I have not done it to tell you for sure.
Gervin Khan says
Oh yes, this is such a good dessert to make for our family Halloween party, it look so delicious and I am pretty sure that everyone will love it.
Ryan Escat says
Yummy…! I like the way you arranged it so much,it looks so so scrumptious 😋 I wish my wife would try this sometime.
Brandy Ellen Writes says
I’m game to try anything that involves cheesecake! these easy swirl pumpkin cheesecake bars look like a delicious treat to make for Thanksgiving.
Celebrate Woman Today says
Colorful for Thanksgiving and so delish with pumpkin. I really like the photos, they show how soft this cheesecake is.
Claudia says
Pumpkin? Check. Cheesecake? Check check! I have to make this! It looks absolutely amazing. Om nom nom.
Tara Pittman says
I have a pumpkin in the pressure cooker right now. My son will have to make this