These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust are the ultimate creamy and delicious Fall dessert capturing all the best qualities of cheesecake and pumpkin pie in one!
These bars would be perfect on the Thanksgiving dessert table!
I love a good baked cheesecake, like my mini baked cheesecakes or these mini coffee cheesecakes. Good pumpkin pie is also one of my favourites. In this recipe, you get the best of both worlds! If you know any who loves both pumpkin pie and cheesecake, you need to make these cheesecake bars for them! Or at least share this recipe with them.
Pumpkin desserts have my heart, and in September and October, I try to bake with pumpkin whenever I get the chance! You will probably have some leftover pumpkin purée after making these pumpkin cheesecake bars. I recommend trying my pumpkin bread recipe or these pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips next!
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Why You Need to Make This Recipe
- Easy + Quick. Besides the baking time, this recipe can be mixed up in a jiffy. Perfect for the holidays when there is already so much to get done!
- No water bath is needed. That's right, these bars bake up perfectly just in a metal or glass pan.
- The perfect vehicle for whipped cream. Some of my family members like to put an obscene amount of whipped cream on their desserts and these bars are definitely delicious with whipped cream!
- Cheesecake + Pumpkin Pie all in one. Enjoy both desserts at once.
- Buttery gingersnap crust. The ginger cookie crust adds another flavour and texture dimension to this recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
These are the necessary ingredients to make these pumpkin cheesecake bars and the gingersnap crust. I have listed some substitutions below.
- Ginger Cookie Crumbs - You can find boxes of crunchy gingersnap cookies in the cookie aisle at the grocery store. Crush the cookies in a ziploc bag or in the food processor.
- Salted Butter - The salted butter adds a little salty flavour to the crust.
- Cream Cheese - Philadelphia brand full-fat cream cheese is what I use and recommend. Make sure it is softened to room temperature.
- Brown Sugar - Brown sugar adds a yummy caramel flavour to the batter.
- Eggs - You will use the egg white and yolk.
- Pumpkin Purée - Make sure you use purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Spices - Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg give that pumpkin spice flavour.
- Vanilla Extract - Pure or artificial - whatever you have on hand!
- Flour - A little flour helps the cheesecake set perfectly.
- Sour Cream - Adds to the creamy texture.
- Salt - A little salt helps the flavours pop in baking!
See the recipe card for measurements.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine the crushed gingersnap cookies and melted butter.
Step 2: Mix until combined and sandy in texture.
Step 3: Pour into a 9X9-inch pan lined with parchment paper.
Step 4: Press down into a level crust. Pre-bake the crust while making the batter.
Step 5: Combine the softened cream cheese and brown sugar.
Step 6: Mix on high speed for 2 minutes until fluffy.
Step 7: Add the eggs, pumpkin purée, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla extract, flour, sour cream, and salt.
Step 8: Mix until smooth with no lumps remaining.
Step 9: Pour into the pan on top of the prepared and pre-baked crust and smooth out.
Step 10: Bake until mostly set but still a little jiggly in the center.
Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator to cool fully.
Tip: Leave the cheesecake in the pan to cool fully and set so that it won't fall apart.
Substitutions
- Salted Butter - If using unsalted butter to make the crust, add ⅛ teaspoon of salt to the crust mixture.
- Brown Sugar - White sugar and molasses can be combined to make homemade brown sugar. Here is a recipe for how to make brown sugar at home.
- Spices - You may replace the individual spices with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Sour Cream - Plain yogurt can replace the sour cream.
Pro Tip
When slicing the bars to serve, rinse the knife off with hot water between each slice to make clean cuts.
Recipe FAQ
These pumpkin cheesecake bars will last for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
More Cheesecake Recipes
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust
Equipment
- 9x9-inch baking pan
- aluminum foil or parchment paper
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups & spoons
- electric handheld mixer
- whisk
- silicone spatula
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups gingersnap crumbs *
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted **
For the Cheesecake Batter:
- 16 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar ***
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ****
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger ****
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ****
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoons sour cream *****
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving the edges to hang over the sides of the pan.
- Stir together the gingersnap crumbs and melted butter. Firmly press in an even layer into the parchment paper-lined baking pan to form a crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes while you prepare the cheesecake batter.
- In a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and brown sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, pumpkin purée, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, flour, sour cream, and salt and beat on low speed just until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the pan over the pre-baked crust (it's fine if the crust is still warm) and smooth out the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the filling is mostly set but still a little jiggly in the center. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating until fully chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight is best.
- To Serve: Lift out of the pan using the overhanging parchment paper as handles. Transfer to a cutting board before slicing with a sharp knife, run the knife under hot water or wipe off between each cut for clean edges. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Blogpost updated October 9, 2023.
Monika
Hello fellow Canadian. Do you think I could use 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese + 8 ounces COTTAGE CHEESE (mine is 4% - the highest fat I could get) for the 16 ounces full-fat cream cheese that you use? Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving 🙂
Naomi Andres
Hello and Happy Thanksgiving, Monika! I have never tried using cottage cheese as a cream cheese substitute, but I think it could work. You will probably need to blend the cottage cheese before adding it to the recipe to avoid a lumpy texture. Please let me know if you try it!
Monika
Thanks for replying! Yes, of course I would blend the cottage cheese to get a smooth consistency. I just fear it won't set up because cottage cheese has more liquid than cream cheese. What do you think?
Also - how many GRAMS of cookies are used for the crust, i.e. how much is 1 ½ cups gingersnap crumbs* in GRAMS?
Thanks!
Naomi Andres
Hi Monika,
I think the liquid would be fine because the curds in cottage cheese are dry but once blended it would have a nice texture. Again, I haven’t tried this but I’m pretty sure it would work!
1 1/2 cups of ginger snap crumbs is about 150 grams.
Let me know how it goes!
Naomi