Pumpkin pie flavor, cheesecake texture, and an oven that never turns on — these bars are our answer to the crowded Thanksgiving stove and to every fall potluck where the sign-up sheet already has three pies on it. A spiced graham crust, a filling that whips up in one bowl, and four quiet hours in the fridge do all the work.
The filling gets its structure from properly whipped cream folded into sweetened pumpkin cream cheese, the same no-bake approach that makes our No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Cups set so reliably. No gelatin, no eggs, no water bath — just cold time. Browse the rest of our Desserts and you will notice that is a house rule: if a dessert can skip the oven, it does.
Make the pan a day ahead and the bars slice cleaner for it. Serve them plain, with a small cloud of whipped cream, or with a drizzle of caramel when the occasion is a holiday rather than a Tuesday.
Room-temperature cream cheese is not a suggestion
Cold cream cheese beats into lumps that no amount of whisking fully smooths out, and those lumps stay visible in the finished bars. Set the packages on the counter for about an hour before you start, until a finger pressed into the foil leaves an indent. Beat the cheese alone first, until it is completely smooth and fluffy, before the pumpkin goes in — that order is what gives you a filling with no white flecks and no dense layer at the bottom.
Puree, not pie filling — and blot it if it looks wet
Buy plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced and will throw off both the sugar and the spice balance here. Some cans of puree are wetter than others; if yours looks loose and glossy, spread it on a plate lined with paper towels for ten minutes to pull off excess moisture. A wet filling is the one reliable way these bars fail to set, so the small step is worth it.
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (200 g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (113 g)
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar (54 g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (3 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g)
- 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese (454 g), at room temperature
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (425 g), not pie filling
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (90 g)
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar (54 g)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (6 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, very cold (360 ml)
- Whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, to serve
Amounts are for the yield below. US customary measures first, grams in brackets for scale users.
Step-by-step instructions
- Make and press the crust. Line a 9x9-inch (23x23 cm) pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides for lifting the bars out later. Stir the graham crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together until the mixture looks like wet sand, then tip it into the pan and press it into a firm, even layer with the flat bottom of a measuring cup. Chill the crust while you make the filling.
- Beat the cream cheese smooth. In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, until completely smooth, pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl once. This step decides the texture of the whole pan, so do not rush it.
- Add the pumpkin and spices. Beat in the pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla until fully combined and evenly colored, scraping the bowl well. The mixture will be soft — that is expected at this stage.
- Whip the cream and fold. In a separate cold bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks — when you lift the beaters, the cream should stand up in points that hold their shape. Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture in two additions with a spatula, using wide, gentle strokes, until no white streaks remain. Stop as soon as it comes together; over-mixing knocks the air back out.
- Fill and chill. Spread the filling over the chilled crust in an even layer and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight, until the center is firm and a knife pressed into it comes out with only soft filling clinging to it.
- Slice and serve. Lift the slab out by the parchment overhang and set it on a cutting board. Slice into 12 bars with a large knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts for sharp edges. Serve chilled, with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon if you like.
Nutrition estimate
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 320 kcal |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Saturated fat | 13 g |
| Sodium | 210 mg |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 19 g |
Nutrition figures are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data for the yield stated. Your actual values will vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.
Storage & reheating
The bars keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and actually slice best on days one and two, once the crust and filling have settled together. They also freeze well: freeze the sliced bars on a tray until firm, wrap individually, and store for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge for a few hours before serving. Do not leave the pan out at room temperature for more than about 2 hours — the filling softens quickly. Nutrition figures are estimates from standard ingredient data and vary with brands and substitutions.
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Spiced graham crust, fluffy pumpkin filling — chill, slice and serve, no oven needed.
Ingredients
Tick ingredients off as you prep, and tap a step below to mark it done as you cook. Scaling adjusts the listed amounts - seasoning to taste stays your call.
Instructions
- Make and press the crust. Line a 9x9-inch (23x23 cm) pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides for lifting the bars out later. Stir the graham crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together until the mixture looks like wet sand, then tip it into the pan and press it into a firm, even layer with the flat bottom of a measuring cup. Chill the crust while you make the filling.
- Beat the cream cheese smooth. In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, until completely smooth, pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl once. This step decides the texture of the whole pan, so do not rush it.
- Add the pumpkin and spices. Beat in the pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla until fully combined and evenly colored, scraping the bowl well. The mixture will be soft — that is expected at this stage.
- Whip the cream and fold. In a separate cold bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks — when you lift the beaters, the cream should stand up in points that hold their shape. Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture in two additions with a spatula, using wide, gentle strokes, until no white streaks remain. Stop as soon as it comes together; over-mixing knocks the air back out.
- Fill and chill. Spread the filling over the chilled crust in an even layer and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight, until the center is firm and a knife pressed into it comes out with only soft filling clinging to it.
- Slice and serve. Lift the slab out by the parchment overhang and set it on a cutting board. Slice into 12 bars with a large knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts for sharp edges. Serve chilled, with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon if you like.
Recipe by Shahid Imran · FryDaily. Printing? This card is designed to print cleanly on its own.
