Easy Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Easy Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are the perfect fall dessert and a terrific make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving.

A simple walnut or pecan shortbread crust is topped with a pumpkin pie cheesecake layer and a tangy-sweet topping. You’re going to love them!

Every year it seems like pumpkin season starts earlier and earlier – as evidenced by the fact that pumpkin whoopie pies have been the most popular on the site for the past couple weeks.

If you’re one of those people who are super excited about pumpkin recipes, I’m excited to share them all with you. These cool, creamy pumpkin bars are a great place to start.

You’re going to bake the bars, pour on that lovely topping, and then chill them in the refrigerator. They’ll be perfectly cold and creamy bites of pumpkin happiness when you’re ready to eat the bars.

You’ll also want to check out my mom’s soft pumpkin cookies, pumpkin dump cake, and pumpkin cake roll. They are all favorites with my family and some of the most popular recipes on the site too.

How to make Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

First, you’ll make a simple shortbread crust with pecan or walnuts. Then we will press it into a pan and partially bake while we prepare the pumpkin cheesecake filling.

We will take softened cream cheese, it is best if it has sat out for 4-5 hours to get it completely to room temperature. Cream cheese takes longer to soften than butter. And beat in sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and some pumpkin pie spice of course.

Spread this onto the pre-baked crust and bake for 20 minutes. While it’s baking prepare the sour cream sugar topping, which is simply sour cream, sugar and vanilla.

Immediately after removing from the oven, carefully pour on the sour cream topping and smooth it out with an offset spatula.

Bake for a few more minutes until topping is set, cool, and cut into bars. I like to garnish them with a few more pecans. (This is also a good way to identify a dessert as containing nuts when it might not otherwise be obvious at a glance.)

How to store pumpkin cheesecake bars

Once cooled, these bars should be kept in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

They will keep for 2 or 3 days before they start to look a little sad. But you can keep them in there up to 4-5 days.

Can I freeze pumpkin cheesecake?

Yes, I mentioned it above, but pumpkin cheesecake freezes beautifully. It’s a great way to make ahead a dessert for thanksgiving. Simply make the bars as directed in the recipe and let them cool completely on the counter.

Then, cover them tightly. I use a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. And use a sharpie to write the name of the dessert and date on the foil.

The sour cream layer can crack a bit if they are frozen too long or not covered well. So freeze this recipe with caution.

When ready to thaw, place the pan in the fridge to thaw overnight. Depending on the temperature of your fridge it may take up to 12 hours.

Most of the recipes you find on my site are family recipes or ones I have developed myself. However, occasionally I find a recipe that is too good not to share with you which is the case with these Easy Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars.

This recipe is from the Betty Crocker Big Book of Cookies Cookbook with a few minor adaptations. My cinnamon roll blondies are another awesome recipe that was adapted from that same book.

Easy Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Easy layered pumpkin cheesecake bars with a simple walnut or pecan shortbread crust, a pumpkin pie cheesecake layer and a tangy sour cream sugar topping.

Pin Print Review

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Inactive Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24 bars

Ingredients 

For the crust

• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3/4 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup butter softened
• ▢ 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• ▢ 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts finely chopped

For the pumpkin cheesecake layer

• ▢ 1 package 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ▢ 3/4 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 can 15 oz pumpkin
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ▢ 3 eggs room temperature

For the sour cream topping

• ▢ 2 cups sour cream
• ▢ 1/3 cup sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or line with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter using a pasty blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats and nuts.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of prepared 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated oven.
• Meanwhile, prepare pumpkin cheesecake layer. Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar with a mixer until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Beat in eggs one at a time, just until combined. Pour the mixture over the warm crust.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set and the filling looks dry on top. While baking, make the sour cream topping. Stir together the sour cream, sugar and vanilla.
• When cheesecake layer is done, carefully spread the sour cream topping on top. Bake for 5 minutes or until just set.
• Cool completely before cutting into bars. Garnish with additional nuts if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece · Calories: 200kcal · Carbohydrates: 23g · Protein: 3g · Fat: 11g · Saturated Fat: 5g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g · Cholesterol: 48mg · Sodium: 59mg · Fiber: 1g · Sugar: 16g

Tried this recipe?Mention @chocolatewithgrace or tag #chocolatewithgrace!

{originally published 9/3/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 9/3/21}

Here are a few more of my other favorite thanksgiving pumpkin cheesecake desserts:

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie with Pecan Streusel

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies – these are another fun layered pumpkin treat

And a traditional Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake

You might also want to try these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars from Love from the Oven and these Strawberry Cheesecake Bars from The Seaside Baker.