Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe

This scratch-cooked Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe comes to us courtesy of my sister Kerry from Healthy Diet Habits as part of our master holiday recipe migration project.

If you love the velvety richness of a traditional holiday dessert, but want to avoid the massive amounts of processed white sugar found in commercial bakery items, these square treats are the ultimate solution.

Baking a standard cheesecake can often feel overwhelming and time-consuming, but this recipe simplifies the entire process by utilizing a quick pan method baked just like brownies. This smart hosting hack cuts down on your kitchen time while delivering beautifully portioned, rich dessert bars that are perfect for sharing at autumn gatherings, family parties, or casual seasonal celebrations.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are one of the best dessert recipes for the winter months. They go well with fall weather when you want a small treat. I prefer baking a pan of them, rather than cookies, because I am satisfied with a small piece. Cookies call my name and I end up overindulging! 

Healthy Diet Habits are finding a way of keeping an occasional treat in your diet rather than always denying yourself.

Ingredients for Crust

• 2 cups digestive wheat biscuits or graham cracker crumbs (chocolate, cinnamon or plain)

• ¼ cup sugar (*see our info. below on sugar substitutes)

• ¼ cup butter softened

Crust for Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients for Topping

• 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese (low-fat will work but not fat-free)

• ½ cup Greek plain yogurt

• ¾ cup sugar (*See our info. below on sugar substitutes)

• 1 (15) oz. can 100 % pure pumpkin (Even better, make your own pumpkin puree from our instructions on our Pumpkin Recipes page)
  
  
• 2 T flour

• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 2 organic free range eggs

Frosted Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Sugar Alternatives

To keep this treat aligned with a clean lifestyle, you can completely skip the toxic refined sugars. We love using organic heavy cream whipped and substituting processed sweeteners with natural alternatives like raw local honey, or zero-calorie, plant-based choices like organic Stevia or Monk Fruit.

Shifting to these clean swaps allows you to satisfy your sweet tooth and enjoy festive traditions without triggering inflammatory reactions or stalling your personal weight control goals.

Directions for Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

• In a small bowl, combine the crushed cracker crumbs (I love the digestive biscuits best), sugar, and softened butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 by 13 pan that is sprayed with oil. Stick into the refrigerator while you make the topping.

• In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, yogurt and sugar until they are smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, flour, spice, and vanilla. Add the eggs and beat until they are combined.

• Pour the crust over the crumbs and evenly spread it out.

• Bake at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes until the center is almost set. Cool on a rack and then refrigerate.

• Cut before serving into 20 bars.

These pumpkin cheese cake bars are rich and a small piece goes a long way, especially if you top them with homemade whipped cream. These are simple and quick and always loved! Organic eggs, rBST free organic butter, yogurt, and cream cheese allow you to keep sweets in your holiday recipes file!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bar topped with homemade whipped cream

A Stress-Free Holiday Dessert Solution

These scratch-cooked pumpkin cheesecake bars are the ultimate stress-free solution for your autumn gatherings, family parties, or festive Thanksgiving dessert spreads.

By using a quick brownie-style pan method instead of a traditional labor-intensive cheesecake setup, you save precious time in the kitchen while still delivering a rich, velvety treat your guests will love. Best of all, by choosing natural sweeteners and organic dairy, you can indulge in seasonal traditions without standard processed shortcuts.