Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars (No Bake!)

TL; DR Recipe Summary

👩🏼‍🍳 Bake Level: Easy

⏱️ Bake Time: No baking, remember! This chills for 7 hours.

😋 Taste: Creamy, pumpkin, warm cinnamon, spiced, tangy.

🍽️ Best Served With: You can make a batch of these pumpkin cheesecake bars with just about anything, but I honestly love them as a dessert option along with my apple pie crescent rolls or a chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookie.

Trusty Tips and Key Reminders

Room Temperature Ingredients- For the smoothest texture and taste, make sure the cream cheese and greek yogurt are completely room temperature before whisking them together.

Add the Powdered Sugar Gently! - Powdered sugar is known for flying everywhere, so be gently when pouring it into the bowl with the cream cheese and yogurt. Whisk on a low speed, then increase the speed as the powdered sugar becomes incorporated.

Let it Chill - When it comes to no bake desserts, they MUST chill for a prolonged period of time to let the ingredients set and firm up. I've tried making these at least six different times and each time there was something wrong with them. I've come to learn just how important the chill time is. Trust me and my failures, do not rush this recipe!

The Main Ingredients

Ingredients to make pumpkin cheesecake bars.

Cream Cheese - The main ingredient for making a rich, tangy base that gives cheesecake its classic creamy texture.

Pumpkin Purée - Adds seasonal flavor, moisture, and a smooth pumpkin layer.

Maple Syrup - A natural sweetener to give the cheesecake more flavor and a touch of sweetness.

Greek Yogurt - Lightens the filling along with adding creaminess and a slight tang.

Powdered Sugar - Sweetens the cheesecake layer and blends smoothly without any grainy texture.

Pumpkin Pie Spice - Brings the signature fall flavor with warm spices like clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Graham Crackers - Crushed into crumbs to form the sweet, crunchy crust.

Melted Butter - Binds the graham cracker crumbs together into a sturdy crust once chilled.

Sugar - Adds sweetness and helps balance the tangy and spiced flavors.

Recipe Swaps and Substitutions

Instead of graham crackers, you can use crumbled oreos, Biscoff cookies, nilla wafers, or any other kind of crumbly shortbread-style cookie.

Omit the greek yogurt for sour cream or even ricotta cheese.

Use dairy-free cream cheese, butter, and greek yogurt if you're looking to keep this dairy free.

How to make pumpkin cheesecake bars

Step 1: Blend the graham crackers in a food processor until it resembles sand.

Step 2: Mix together the sugar and blended graham crackers. Melt the butter and pour into the graham cracker mixture. Using a fork, combine the mixture and pour into the desired pan. Press firmly with a ⅓ measuring cup. Work some of the crust up the sides of the pan and chill for 30-45 minutes.

Mixed pumpkin cheesecake batter in a large bowl.

Step 3: In a large bowl, add in the cream cheese, pumpkin, maple syrup and greek yogurt, then whisk until light and fluffy. Last, add in the powdered sugar and whisk again until smooth.

Pumpkin cheesecake filling in a pan with a layer of graham crackers on the bottom.

Step 4: Pour into the graham cracker crust and chill for 6-7 hours or overnight. Slice and serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a graham cracker piece.

Pumpkin Cheesecake FAQs

What's the best way to store these cheesecake bars?

Add the cheesecake to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Is it possible to freeze these bars?

Yes, you can freeze this by wrapping the entire dessert in plastic wrap and storing in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight for next day serving.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree?

There's a big difference between the puree and the filling. The pie filling already has a lot of the flavors in it including the spices, so adding any more to the mixture would be too much. Pie filling is essentially meant to fill a pie crust, not used in pumpkin-style recipes. The puree is simply pumpkin, with nothing else in it, acting as a perfect base to build flavor and warmth with the cinnamon, etc.

Liz G. says

November 03, 2025 at 2:09 pm

I made these yesterday to prepare for Thanksgiving cause I am in charge of dessert and these were outstanding! I had no expectations because I always mess up no bake desserts but these were really yummy and the graham cracker stayed together really well! I will for sure make this for Turkey Day.!