Add these pumpkin cheesecake bars to your fall baking list!  Cool, creamy, and infused with real pumpkin and spice, all atop a nutty gluten-free pecan crust.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: Cool, creamy, and infused with real pumpkin & spice. Loved that these were naturally gluten-free, that nutty crust is perfection!

It’s hard to believe it’s October these days!  Here in the northeast, it feels a lot more like summer.  We’ve had temps in the 80’s this week!  Crazy, right?  But I am definitely not complaining.  I’m loving every second of it, because I know that soon enough it will be cold and wintry.

We are coming up on November soon, and that means pumpkin, pumpkin, and more pumpkin!  I’ve already got quite a few amazing pumpkin recipes on this site, and at least two more on the way.

But today it’s all about cheesecake!  Pumpkin cheesecake bars, to be exact.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: Cool, creamy, and infused with real pumpkin & spice. Loved that these were naturally gluten-free, that nutty crust is perfection!

I tend to think of pumpkin cheesecake as kind of a Thanksgiving staple.  If you’re not a pumpkin pie person, then pumpkin cheesecake is probably your go-to for this time of year.  There are lots of pumpkin cheesecake recipes out there, and for the most part this one is pretty traditional.  It’s the crust that really sets it apart.

I love doing nut crusts on tarts, pies, and cheesecakes.  Not only are they gluten-free and low-carb, but they’re also super-crunchy and full of toasty flavor.  The pecan crust on these pumpkin cheesecake bars really takes them from good to great!  My husband said he liked this even better than graham cracker crust!  I was a bit shocked!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: Cool, creamy, and infused with real pumpkin & spice. Loved that these were naturally gluten-free, that nutty crust is perfection!

The cheesecake filling is cool, creamy, and rich, with a little bit of tanginess from the cream cheese, and loads of real pumpkin goodness.  I just love the earthy flavor of seasonal pumpkin, especially with all the warm spice notes you get from cinnamon, ginger, and clove.  I wanted to keep things simple for these pics, but I would highly suggest drizzling these pumpkin cheesecake bars with salted caramel sauce– yum!

Bars are a fun and easy way to serve this pumpkin cheesecake.  I use a 9 by 9-inch pan.  I like the kind with the really sharp, square corners because that way, every pumpkin cheesecake bar looks uniform and consistent.  But you can also bake this up in a traditional round pan- you may just have to adjust the bake time a bit.  Just keep an eye on it, and don’t pull it until it’s mostly set but still just a little jiggly towards the very center.  A water bath is a great way to prevent cracking, but I didn’t do it on these pumpkin cheesecake bars and they still came out pretty smooth on top!

Be sure to allow your pumpkin cheesecake bars to thoroughly chill before slicing.  I like to give them overnight to get really cold.  Then, I run a sharp knife under very hot water before each cut.  It gives you the most perfect edges!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: Cool, creamy, and infused with real pumpkin & spice. Loved that these were naturally gluten-free, that nutty crust is perfection!

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5 stars (2 ratings)

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Pecan Crust

Servings: 12 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Add these pumpkin cheesecake bars to your fall baking list! Cool, creamy, and infused with real pumpkin and spice, all atop a nutty gluten-free pecan crust.

Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  
  • Mist a 9x9-inch baking pan with non-stick spray and line with parchment.
  • Place the ground pecans, melted butter, sugar, egg white, and salt in a medium bowl and toss together with a fork to combine.  
  • Press the mixture in an even layer over the bottom of the prepared pan.
  • Place the cream cheese, brown sugar, and cornstarch in a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  
  • Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, and stir in the pumpkin.  
  • Stir in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula after each addition.  
  • Stir in the cream, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, and cloves, and transfer the mixture to the prepared pan.
  • Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, then reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F and continue to bake for one hour, or until set around the edges and still slightly jiggly towards the center.  
  • Chill overnight before cutting into squares.

Notes

Optional: drizzle with salted caramel sauce, garnish with sweetened whipped cream, and dust with cinnamon. ©Baking a Moment
Calories: 523kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 42g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 133mg, Sodium: 264mg, Potassium: 290mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 5810IU, Vitamin C: 1.6mg, Calcium: 115mg, Iron: 1.7mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Tried this recipe?Mention @bakingamoment on Instagram or tag #bakingamoment.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: Cool, creamy, and infused with real pumpkin & spice. Loved that these were naturally gluten-free, that nutty crust is perfection!