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Recipes › Courses › Sweets › Bars & Brownies
9 Comments

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe (with Streusel topping)

Kathleen

by Kathleen Pope Sep 19, 2024

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Pin for Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with streusel topping and topped with a glaze.
Pin for pumpkin streusel cheesecake bars with image of pumpkin square topped with whipped cream and a little extra whipped cream on the side.
Pin for easy Streusel Topped Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Biscoff cookie crust, fork by bar with bite taken out.
Long pin for the best ever Pumpkin Bars with top image of pumpkin bar with whipped cream, bottom images of pumpkin bars topped with brown butter maple glaze.
A pumpkin bar with streusel topping unfrosted sitting on a plate.

It’s finally time to bring out the fall decorations and make my mouth-watering Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars recipe. Three decadent layers with huge pumpkin spice flavor, they are like pumpkin pie bars on steroids!

Want to take them over the top? Then be sure to drizzle some of this brown butter glaze, using the maple option for the ultimate fall treat!

Love pumpkin like we do? Be sure to try this delicious Chocolate Pumpkin Graham Crisp, or this light Copycat Noosa Pumpkin Yogurt, or perhaps surprise your family with this fabulous Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake.

Pumpkin Streusel bar with brown butter glaze on top.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure & privacy policy.

Fall bazaars, family get togethers, and afternoon coffee or tea are the perfect times for pumpkin streusel bars. Using Biscoff cookies for the crust adds wonderful pumpkin ginger spice to the creamy filling.

Everyone needs a handful of good fall recipes, and I’ve got you covered from dessert to soup! In addition to pumpkin cream cheese bars, you’re going to want to try my healthy Maple Pumpkin Scones and these Panera Pumpkin Streusel Muffins — drool!

This Healthy Pumpkin Bread is always a hit and makes a great neighbor gift. You can even add nuts or chocolate chips! And with cold weather this season, check out this Autumn Squash Soup.

You’re going to love how this recipe is easily converted into gluten-free and vegan pumpkin bars! So pull out your spices, and let’s get baking. YUM!

Simple Ingredients

All ingredients, measurements and instructions are in the handy printable recipe card at the end of the post!

Biscoff Cookie Crust Ingredients

First we’ll start off with the Biscoff cookie crust, the cornerstone for these pumpkin bars.

  • Biscoff Cookies | If you don’t have Biscoff cookies, Speculoos or other Gingersnap type cookies work for this crust.
  • Butter & Sugar |You do not need much to make this spicy, crispy, delicious crust!
Ingredient shot for Biscoff Cookie Crust L-R crushed biscoff cookies, melted butter, sugar.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling Ingredients

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars ingredients L-R Pumpkin Puree, Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, vanilla extract, cream cheese, eggs, Greek yogurt and sugar.
  • Pumpkin Puree | Check the label carefully—you want puree and not pie filling, which has extra sugar and spices.
  • Cream Cheese | I used full-fat cream cheese, but you could also use Neufchatel cheese for a bit lighter
  • Sugar | I prefer to use organic pure cane sugar, but feel free to use regular white granulated sugar instead.
  • Greek Yogurt | This is my secret, healthy ingredient to make the filling lighter! Plain yogurt, sour cream, or a plant-based alternative all make great substitutes.
  • Eggs | I use large eggs in all of my baking.
  • Spices | The aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger will tantalize you, or make your own pumpkin pie spice.

Streusel Topping Ingredients

  • Rolled Oats, Dark or Light Brown Sugar, Flour, Butter and Salt is all you need for an amazing streusel topping!
Pumpkin streusel topping ingredients L-R Flour, Brown Sugar, Rolled Oats, cinnamon and butter.

How to make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Streusel

Step One | Make the Biscoff Cookie Crust

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little hanging over the sides.

Crush Biscoff cookies in freezer baggie, using a rolling pin or whir for a few seconds in a food processor.

Mix the cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Press it into your baking pan. Bake in 325 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes, while you prepare filling. Remove and set aside.

Mixing sugar into Biscoff cookie crumbs for biscoff cookie crust.
Mix sugar into cookie crumbs
Adding melted butter to biscoff sugar mixture for Biscoff cookie crust.
Add melted butter, mix well
Using measuring cup to firmly press biscoff cookie crust into baking dish.
Press into prepared baking dish

Step Two | Make Streusel Topping

In a medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, butter, and salt for the streusel topping, squishing together with hands or spoon.

Place it in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

Adding Oats to brown sugar for streusel topping.
Add oats, brown sugar, spices and salt
Dumping in cubed softened butter into streusel topping mixture.
Dump in cubed soft butter
Combined Streusel topping should stick together.
Mix with hands or spoon until combined

Step Three | Making the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bar filling

Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

To make the filling, use a mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about a minute. Then, add the eggs one at a time and continue beating.

Next, add the vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, yogurt, and spices. The filling will be thin, but don’t worry—once baked, it will be perfect!

Pour your filling over the cookie crust and bake for 25 minutes, don’t worry you will add the streusel crumble topping in a bit.

Whipping cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.
Whipped cream cheese and sugar
Three eggs being added to cream cheese mixture for pumpkin bars.
Add eggs one at a time, beat well
Adding pumpkin puree to pumpkin pie bar mixture.
Add vanilla, pumpkin
Pouring in Greek yogurt to pumpkin cheesecake mixture.
Adding yogurt
Adding Spices to pumpkin cream cheese mixture.
Add cinnamon and spices
Pour pumpkin filling into baked biscoff cookie crust.
Pouring pumpkin filling into baked crust

Step Four | Adding Streusel Topping

After the cream cheese bars are partially baked, crumble the streusel topping over the pumpkin cheesecake filling carefully so it sits on top. Continue baking until done for an other 25-30 minutes, covering loosely with foil around 30 minutes.

On a wire rack, allow the bars to cool for one hour before putting them in the fridge. They need to chill for three hours or overnight for the best slicing experience.

When you’re ready to serve your pumpkin streusel bars, pull them out of the baking pan with the parchment paper and cut into squares.

If you make the brown butter glaze, drizzle it on top.

And you’re done! Just be ready when your family and friends ask for more of these healthy pumpkin bars.

Drizzling browned butter icing on top of pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe.

Substitutions

  • If you don’t have pumpkin puree, substitute squashes like butternut, honeynut, and acorn with delicious results.
  • Another variation is to use sweet potatoes. Bake the sweet potatoes for about 1 ½ hours in their skins to caramelize them, then turn them into a puree for your streusel bars.

Variations

  • GLUTEN-FREE PUMPKIN BARS | For gluten free pumpkin bars, substitute GF butter cookies or try using GF Graham Crackers. Almond flour or other GF flours works for the topping. And don’t forget to use GF oats. The GF option is so yummy!
  • VEGAN PUMPKIN BARS | For a vegan version of healthy pumpkin bars, substitute cashew cream for cream cheese and cashew sour cream for yogurt. Good egg substitutions include Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer or ½ a banana per egg.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Streusel bars with whipped cream and fresh nutmeg.

Storage

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, overnight in fridge. Glaze just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you keep the streusel topping crispy the second day?

Store your pumpkin cream cheese bars with a few saltine crackers to absorb moisture. It’s amazing how well this works!

How do I keep the streusel topping from sinking?

Prevent sinking by adding the topping over the filling mid-way through baking. Or, increase the oven temperature by 25 degrees for the first 5 minutes to set the filling before it rises too high.

A little more flour in the batter helps, especially if you live at a high altitude with low air pressure. The air pressure affects how your batter rises then sinks as the pumpkin streusel dessert cools. 

What is the difference between streusel and crumble?

A streusel is not filled with fruit like a crumble, but the topping is similar for both desserts.

Can I make a double batch of Pumpkin Pie Bars for a Crowd?

This recipe easily doubles to feed your Thanksgiving guests! Make in a 9×13 inch pan and bake the bars at 325 for 55-65 minutes until firm. Be sure to add the streusel topping half way through.

Can I make with a graham cracker crust?

Yes! It will be just as delicious with a graham cracker crust, some people do not enjoy the spice in Biscoff cookies. Use the graham cracker crust from my Key Lime Pie, it’s perfectly sized!

Can I use pumpkin pie spice?

You bet, just substitute all of the spices for 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.

Fork bite removed from Pumpkin Streusel bar on parchment paper with rest of bars in background.

Ways to Serve Pumpkin Streusel Bars

This fantastic recipe is from Sally’s Baking Addiction, I’ve adapted it for high altitude and personal taste.

  • Pumpkin Streusel bars are delicious all by themselves!
  • Sally serves with a Basic Vanilla Glaze, which would be amazing!
  • Take them over the top with this brown butter glaze, use the maple option for the ultimate fall treat.
  • Or simply serve them with a dollop of whipped cream and don’t forget to grate some fresh nutmeg over the top!

Other Fall Favorite Treats

  • Your home will smell amazing with or without a baked treat with this easy Fall Simmering Spices!
  • A Fall Breakfast Charcuterie Board would be a great place to sneak in these pumpkin streusel bars.
  • Apple Double Crumb Cake – yeah more streusel!
  • Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
  • Ooey-Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
  • Gluten-Free Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
  • Pear Bundt Cake
  • Easy Old Fashioned Apple Crisp {Gluten-Free Option}

PIN TO YOUR FAVORITE PUMPKIN BOARD!

Pin for Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with streusel topping and topped with a glaze.
Recipe Card
Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars with pretty dollops of whipped cream with fork.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe

5 from 1 reader
Author: Kathleen Pope • The Fresh Cooky 2021
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours hours
Total Time: 5 hours hours 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 -16 bars
Print Pin SaveSaved!
It’s finally time to bring out the fall decorations and make my mouth-watering Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars recipe. Even though you can enjoy these any time of the year, I love to make them when there’s a chill in the air and the leaves are turning colors. Three decadent layers with huge pumpkin spice flavor, they are like pumpkin pie bars on steroids!

Equipment

  • Lodge Stoneware Baking Dish, 9×13 Blue
  • 7-Speed Digital Hand Mixer with Turbo Beater II Accessories and Pro Whisk – Contour Silver
  • USA Pan Bakeware Square Cake Pan, 8 inch, Nonstick & Quick Release Coating, Made in the USA  

Ingredients 

Biscoff Cookie Crust

  • 1 ¼ cups Biscoff cookie crumbs about 22 cookies (may sub Gingersnaps, Graham Crackers or other spiced or butter cookie)
  • 2 Tablespoons cane sugar
  • ¼ cup butter melted

Streusel Topping

  • ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar packed
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup butter cubed, softened
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

  • 8 oz full-fat cream cream softened (may sub Neufchatel or low-fat)
  • ½ cup cane sugar graunlated
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt regular yogurt, plant based or sour cream may be substituted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon*
  • ¼ teaspoon each ground cloves nutmeg and ginger*
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325F degrees, line the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leave enough to hang over the sides.
  • Make the Streusel
  • In a medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and salt, toss to combine. Add softened cubed butter, and using your hands or a fork, smoosh together until mixed. Place container in freezer while preparing the pumpkin squares. 
  • Make the crust
  • Combine cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter together in medium bowl. Press into the bottom of prepared pan. The crust will be thick, thicker if you use an 8” pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 325, once finished, remove from oven and INCREASE the temperature to 350 degrees. 
  • Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until light, creamy and smooth, about a minute. With mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 30 seconds after each addition. 
  • On medium speed, beat in vanilla, pumpkin, yogurt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. Continue mixing until combined and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Mixture will be on the thin side. Pour mixture over the hot Biscoff cookie crust and place in oven.
  • In order to prevent your streusel from sinking, bake pumpkin bars for 20-25 minutes, then remove and crumble streusel topping over the top. Continue baking for 25-40 additional minutes. The bars are done with when the edges are lightly browned and the center is set, cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly before setting. 
  • Cool on wire rack for 1 hour (important), then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 3 more hours or overnight. When ready to slice and serve, using the parchment paper lift the bars onto a cutting board and slice into 8 or 16 squares. If desired, drizzle bars with brown butter glaze . 
  • This recipe easily doubles for a 9×13 inch pan, you may need to bake an additional 10-15 minutes.
Last step! Leave a RatingRate this recipe here. This helps other readers and helps support this website.

Notes

*Replace Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves and Ginger with 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice.
Graham Cracker Crust | Use the graham cracker crust from my Key Lime Pie, it's perfectly sized!
Prevent Streusel from Sinking | Prevent sinking by adding the topping over the filling mid-way through baking. Or, increase the oven temperature by 25 degrees for the first 5 minutes to set the filling before it rises too high.
DOUBLE RECIPE | This recipe easily doubles to feed your Thanksgiving guests! Make in a 9×13 inch pan and bake the bars at 325 for 55-65 minutes until firm. Be sure to add the streusel topping half way through.
TIP | Store your pumpkin cream cheese bars with a few saltine crackers to absorb moisture. It’s amazing how well this works!
GLUTEN-FREE PUMPKIN BARS | Substitute GF butter cookies or try using GF Graham Crackers. Almond flour or other GF flours works for the topping. And don’t forget to use GF oats. The GF option is so yummy!
VEGAN PUMPKIN BARS | For a vegan version of healthy pumpkin bars, substitute cashew cream for cream cheese and cashew sour cream for yogurt. Good egg substitutions include Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer or ½ a banana per egg.

Nutrition

Serving: 11 serving | Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 145mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g
Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars with pretty dollops of whipped cream with fork.
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Kathleen Pope

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Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen.

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  1. Michaela Kenkel

    Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 9:40 pm

    These were heavenly!! Making them again at Thanksgiving! Great recipe, Thanks!!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Thu, Oct 28, 2021 at 6:06 am

      Thank you, so glad you loved it!

      Reply
  2. Min

    Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 4:43 pm

    5 stars
    SO DELICIOUS!

    Reply
  3. Min

    Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 10:43 am

    We LOVE this recipe! So flavorful and perfect for Fall. Will be making it all season for sure!! THANK YOU!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 3:43 pm

      Thank you! So glad you loved it!

      Reply
  4. Julie Menghini

    Sun, Oct 24, 2021 at 1:45 pm

    This recipe was the perfect treat with our chili last night. I just loved all of the warm spices and sweet drizzle.

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Mon, Oct 25, 2021 at 1:59 pm

      So glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  5. Tasia ~ two sugar bugs

    Fri, Oct 22, 2021 at 2:44 pm

    Ohhhhh, you know how much I LOVE a layered bar and these pumpkin cheesecake bars look like perfection! And that brown butter glaze on top has me swooning!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Fri, Oct 22, 2021 at 8:54 pm

      So many fabulous flavors!! Thanks so much Tasia!

      Reply

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