Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars feature a Biscoff cookie crust, a creamy pumpkin swirl cheesecake filling. They are rich and delicious.

Topped with whipped cream, melted Biscoff butter drizzled on top, and Biscoff cookie crumbs.

Indulge in the perfect autumn treat! These bars are a heavenly blend of seasonal flavors and irresistible textures. Fall has never tasted so good!

I will show you step-by-step how to make these pumpkin bars.

The Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are super easy to make and will be a hit at any gathering. This is the perfect dessert for Fall.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Let’s start with the crust. I am doing a Biscoff cookie crust for this cheesecake bars. You can use a graham cracker crust instead. The procedure is the same, simply substitute the Biscoff cookies for graham cracker crumbs. I think Biscoff and pumpkin are a match made in heaven. Biscoff has deep caramel notes, and winter spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, which also go perfect with the pumpkin taste.

To obtain the cookie crumbs, place the cookies in a food processor and pulse until you obtain fine crumbs.

The other ingredients needed for the crust are: brown sugar, and melted butter.

You could use granulated sugar instead of brown.

Mix the brown sugar and Biscoff cookie crumbs in a bowl. Add the melted butter and mix to combine.

Prepare the pan

To prepare the pan, simply spray with oil, then line the sides with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper lightly with oil.

Pour the crust on the bottom of the prepared pan.

Use a measuring cup, or the bottom of a cup to press the crust on the bottom of the pan, packing it tightly.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set it aside while you make the cheesecake batter.

Cheesecake Batter

To make the cheesecake batter, make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. The cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs must all be sitting outside of the fridge for a while before you make the recipe.

Beat the softened cream cheese with a mixer for two minutes.

Add the granulated and brown sugar, and beat to combine.

Make sure to scrape the bowl.

Add the sour cream and mix.

Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing one egg until completely incorporated before adding the next one. Add the vanilla and mix.

The base of the cheesecake is ready.

Pour two cups of the batter into another bowl. Add the pumpkin puree and the spices to the bowl.

Mix to incorporate. You can finish mixing with a spatula instead of the mixer, to avoid over mixing the batter. Over mixed cheesecake batter tends to crack in the oven.

To assemble

Assemble the cheesecake by adding the almost the whole plain cheesecake layer on top of the crust.

Pour the pumpkin layer on top, by adding dollops to the pan.

Scatter a bit more of the remaining plain cheesecake on top. Use a spatula or a knife to swirl the batters together.

Place the baking dish on a larger roasting pan and pour water on the pan to form a water bath.

Bake in the pre-heated oven. Total time in the oven should be around 1 hour.

The cheesecake should be jiggly in the center, and set around the edges. If the cheesecake is browning too much on top, but not baking yet, cover with aluminum foil.

Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour, with the door closed.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven, chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Serving

To serve the cheesecake, slice into 9 slices.

Each slice will be about 3 inches big each.

Make the whipped cream if you wish to serve it with the bars. Whip the cream with an electric mixer for a few minutes on medium-high speed until peaks form. Place the whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a large piping tip.

Pipe the whipped cream on top of the bars.

Drizzle melted Biscoff cookie butter on top, and sprinkle the cookie crumbs. You can use a spoon or a piping bag to drizzle the butter on top of the whipped cream.

Storage

Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can freeze the bars for up to 2 months. Place the sliced bars in the freezer for 2 hours, until they freeze completely. Then wrap each individually in plastic wrap. Or you can freeze the whole thing before cutting. Make sure to store well in an air tight container.

Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.

Serving suggestions

You can serve these delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars drizzled with caramel sauce on top instead of Biscoff. Or even dulce de leche.

Caramel flavor goes so well with pumpkin.

Tips for making cheesecake

Here are the best tips for making the cheesecake work great and not break.

• Don’t over mix the batter, specially after adding the eggs. That will cause the batter to expand too much and then deflate and break.
• Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. This will help the ingredients incorporate together better without so much mixing time.
• Make sure to use a water bath to bake the cheesecake.
• Once the cheesecake is done baking, turn the oven off and let it sit in there for one hour before removing it.

If you like this recipe, here are some more recipes you might like:

• Pistachio Cheesecake
• Biscoff Cheesecake
• Apple Dulce de Leche Cheesecake
• Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Tiramisu
• Pumpkin Flan
• Lemon Cheesecake
• No-Bake Cheesecake
• Cranberry Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Camila Hurst

These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars feature a Biscoff cookie crust, a creamy pumpkin swirl cheesecake filling.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9 bars

Calories 230 kcal

Ingredients

  

Biscoff Crust

• 300 grams Biscoff cookie crumbs
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted

Pumpkin Cheesecake

• 907 grams cream cheese softened (32 oz, or 4 packages)
• 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
• 2/3 cup brown sugar 146 grams
• 2/3 cup sour cream room temperature (160 grams)
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups pumpkin puree 15 oz
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup whipping cream 240 ml

Topping

• 1/2 cup Biscoff cookie butter
• 1/2 cup Biscoff cookies crumbs

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9×13” baking pan with parchment paper. Spray with oil.

Biscoff Crust

• Place the Biscoff cookies in a food processor and process until they become a fine crumb. Or you can place the cookies in a ziplock bag, and use a rolling pin to crush the cookies.
• Mix the cookie crumbs with brown sugar in a large bowl.
• Add the melted butter and mix to combine.
• Pour the crust on the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Use the bottom of a cup to press the crust onto the pan and pack it tightly.
• Bake the crust in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
• Remove and set it aside while you make the cheesecake batter.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

• In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes, until creamy and fluffy. You can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer instead.
• Add the granulated sugar, and the brown sugar to the bowl. Beat for one minute.
• Scrape the bowl and beat for another 2 minutes, until the mixture is nicely incorporated and creamy.
• Add the sour cream, mix to combine.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding the next egg. Scrape the bowl, the sides, and the bottom, in between.
• Add the vanilla extract and mix.
• Remove two cups of the prepared batter and pour into another mixing bowl.
• To this other mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Mix on low with an electric mixer just until combined. You can also use a spatula to finish mixing, because you don’t want to over mix the cheesecake batter, it tends to crack if you mix too much.
• Pour 2/3 of the vanilla cheesecake batter in the pan.
• Top with the pumpkin batter. I like to scatter it around in dollops to create a nice swirling effect.
• Use the remaining bit of vanilla cheesecake to dollop it around on top of the orange batter.
• Grab a spatula or a knife, swirl the batters around to create waves and so the color can gently blend.
• Tap the cheesecake pan on the table a couple of times.
• Place the pan in a larger pan. I like to use those aluminum disposable roasting pans from the grocery store, they are big and tall enough to be used for a water bath, and you can even use them a few times since they will only be holding water.
• Pour hot water on the large roasting pan to create a water bath.
• Bake in the 350ºF pre-heated oven for 55 to 65 minutes. The cheesecake should look set on top and around the edges. The center will still be slightly jiggly.
• Turn the oven off, leave the cheesecake in there for one hour.
• Once the hour has passed, remove the cheesecake.
• Let it chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
• Slice into 12 bars.

Whipped Cream

• Whip the whipping cream on medium-high speed for a few minutes, until stiff peaks form.
• Place the whipping cream in a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice. I used a 4B piping tip.
• Pipe the whipped cream on top of each bar.

Topping

• Place the Biscoff cookie butter in a microwave safe bowl.
• Use a spoon or a piping bag to drizzle the cookie butter on top of the bars. Top with more Biscoff cookie crumbs.

Storage

• Store the bars in an air tight container for up to 4 days.
• You can freeze the bars before piping the whipped cream on top. You can place all bars on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the pan in the freezer for 2 hours. Then each bar will be frozen so you can wrap it in plastic wrap individually.
• Or you can freeze the whole bar, and cut after thawing. Make sure to wrap the bars tightly and place them in an air tight container. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
• To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.

Notes

Biscoff: you can use graham crackers, or digestive biscuits instead to make the crust.

Pumpkin puree: use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.

Pumpkin spice: you can make your own pumpkin spice by mixing cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.

Keyword cheesecake, pumpkin