No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
No bake pumpkin cheesecake bars are the perfect fall dessert. The light, creamy pumpkin cheesecake is full of flavor on top of the buttery graham cracker crust.
Fall is in full swing and with that comes all the pumpkin desserts. Today I’m sharing my recipe for no bake pumpkin cheesecake bars. These bars are full of fall flavor (think pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc.). And, since this is a no-bake recipe, the bars will be ready sooner rather than later!
Why You Should Try This Recipe
- No baking. You don’t have to turn the oven on and, better yet, no water bath for this cheesecake!
- Eggless recipe. The filling is stabilized by frozen whipped topping, which is found at your local grocery store.
- Quick prep time. The crust and fill come together in minutes. All you have to do is wait for it to set in the refrigerator!
- Easy fall recipe. These dessert bars have all the fall flavor without too much hassle. Any one could make this recipe successfully!
Ingredient Notes
- Frozen whipped topping: You can find this at your local grocery store (I used Cool Whip).
- Pumpkin purรฉe: Use 100% pure pumpkin purรฉe (not pumpkin pie filling). I prefer Libby’s.
- Cream cheese: Block-style cream cheese is best. It’s thicker and creamier so the filling will hold its shape better!
- Spices: Either individually measure the spices or use 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Check that your spices are fresh and not expired for best results.
- Graham cracker crumbs: You’ll need about 9 sheets of graham crackers to yield 1 1/2 cups crumbs.
Refer to the recipe card for ingredient details and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Try a gingersnap crust. Replace the graham crackers with gingersnap cookies for an extra kick of flavor in every bite!
Use a pie plate. This recipe works in a 9-inch round pie plate as well! Try it as an easy make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving.
Add a pecan crumble on top. I do this for my pumpkin pecan pie bars and it’s delicious. Whisk together 1 cup chopped pecans with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Cool and sprinkle on top of bars.
How to Make No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Make the graham cracker crust: Combine graham crackers, brown sugar and cinnamon, then stir in melted butter. P
- Freeze crust: Press graham cracker mixture into a parchment-lined 8×8 baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour.
- Make the pumpkin cheesecake filling: Beat together cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, spices and vanilla. Fold in the whipped cream topping by hand. Spread mixture over frozen graham cracker crust.
- Chill cheesecake: Place cheesecake in the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours. Cut and serve cold.
Expert Tips
Don’t over-mix the pumpkin mixture. This will cause it to deflate and thicken. It’s much better when it’s light like cheesecake!
Be patient. The crust needs to freeze, and the filling needs time to chill before serving. Believe me, the extra time is well worth it.
Clean the knife between cuts. This will make for nice clean slices!
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze bars for up to 3 months. Flash freeze for 1 or hours, or until firm, then cover in plastic wrap and place in a ziptop freezer bag or airtight container. When ready to serve, unwrap and defrost in the refrigerator.
Make ahead the bars up to 48 hours in advance. That’s the nice thing about no-bake recipes. They store well in the fridge!
Recipe FAQ
Unfortunately, no, regular whipped cream doesn’t hold its shape as long as whipped cream topping does. The bars won’t be stable.
Yes, double the ingredients and make it in a 9×13 pan. Chilling time will be the same.
It’s not baked so it will be slightly more crumbly than a normal graham cracker crust. If it’s not holding its shape at all, the it’s possible the ingredients were mis-measured or the crust needs more time in the refrigerator.
Related Recipes
If pumpkin is your go-to fall flavor, then you will love these desserts.
Did you love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ๐๐๐๐๐ rating in the recipe card below and if you REALLY loved it, consider leaving a comment further down the page.
Get the Recipe: No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ยฝ cups graham cracker crumbs, 9 sheets, broken up
- ยผ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter, melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 1 cup (8 oz. or 227 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ยฝ cup (120 g) pumpkin purรฉe
- 3 Tbs (38 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ยฝ teaspoon ground ginger
- ยผ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of cloves, optional
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ยฝ cups (4 oz. or 114 g) thawed frozen whipped topping, (such as Cool Whip)
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Grease with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and stir until butter is absorbed.
- Transfer graham cracker mixture to prepared pan. Pack the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Freeze graham cracker crust for 1 hour.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer), mix cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl if necessary.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold whipped topping into the mixture. Transfer pumpkin cheesecake filling onto prepared graham cracker crust and spread evenly. Gently tap baking pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Chill for three hours, or until filling is firm. Cut and serve cold.
Notes
Note: This post was formerly a sponsored post containing this disclaimer: โThis post is sponsored by Vitamix. While I was compensated for my time, all opinions are my own.โ It has been modified to better serve my readers.
14 Comments on “No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars”
Will it work with an ordinary blender or food processor too?
Hi Laura! Yes, a food processor will work well too ๐
Those layers look perfect. The top looks like pumpkin mousse and I’m so glad they make about 16 squares.
These look fabulous and so perfect for fall! The cheesecake filling looks so airy, fluffy, and just plain delicious.
I also like gingersnap or chocolate crust, but I agree graham is the best. I love these bars are no-bake! That sure makes them a lot easier. Yummy combination of flavors.
These look fantastic! I just love this time of year ๐
I love no bake recipes. These look great and perfect for fall.
Looks so good. Any other flavors this would also work for besides pumpkin?
They look so pretty and delicious.
Can this recipe be successfully doubled to make these in a 13 x 9 pan?? They sound so wonderful that I would like to share with more than 16 people!!!!
I am getting ready to try this with sweet potato puree. Has anyone tried this?
My girlfriend brought this wonderful dessert to a girls weekend and we loved and devoured it! Glad to find your web site!!
Can you use Ginger Snap Cookies in the No Bake Pumpkin Cheese Cake as the crust? April
Hi April – Yes, you can use a gingersnap crust from my pumpkin cheesecake recipe, but you’d have to bake the crust. You may have a little more mixture than needed for an 8×8 pan.