Name: Pumpkin-Maple Cheesecake Bars
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 20 servings
Ingredients: ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, plus more for pan; 10 oz. graham crackers (about 20); 2 Tbsp. sugar; ½ tsp. kosher salt; 24 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, cut into small pieces; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 1 cup sugar; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; ½ tsp. kosher salt; 8 oz. sour cream, room temperature; ½ cup pure maple syrup; 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée; 1½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice; ½ tsp. ground ginger

Square pumpkin cheesecake bars with brown and golden swirls.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Pearl Jones

Active Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 15 minutes

The creamy flavors of cheesecake meet the fall flavors of pumpkin pie in these indulgent bars.

Ingredients

20 servings

Crust:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, plus more for pan

10 oz. graham crackers (about 20)

2 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. kosher salt

Cheesecake and assembly:

24 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, cut into small pieces

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. kosher salt

8 oz. sour cream, room temperature

½ cup pure maple syrup

1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée

1½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp. ground ginger

Crust:
Step 1
Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter a 13x9x2" metal baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on long sides, then butter parchment. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form (you should have a generous 2 cups). Add sugar and salt and pulse just to combine. Add ½ cup butter and pulse until mixture is the consistency of wet sand.
Step 2
Transfer crumbs to prepared pan and press firmly into bottom with a measuring cup. Bake crust until fragrant and edges are just starting to take on color, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Cheesecake and Assembly:
Step 3
Reduce oven temperature to 275°F. Beat cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat on low speed, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until incorporated. Add sour cream and maple syrup and beat until mixture is thick and creamy and no lumps remain. Scoop ¾ cup filling into a small bowl and save for marbling later. Add pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger to remaining batter and beat until no streaks remain. Remove bowl from mixer and tap on counter several times to force any air bubbles to the filling’s surface. Scrape filling into cooled crust; pop any air bubbles. Dollop reserved filling over pumpkin filling and swirl with a skewer or toothpick to marble.
Step 4
Bake cheesecake until edges are set but center still wobbles slightly when gently shaken (it will firm as it cools), 40–50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack on stovetop and let cool (the warmth from the cooling oven will help it come to room temperature more slowly, keeping the top from cracking), about 3 hours.
Step 5
Chill cheesecake until cold and firm, 3–4 hours. Cut into bars or squares to serve.
Step 6
Do Ahead: Cheesecake can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Leave a Review

Reviews (15)

I followed the other reviewer's recommendation to bake at 300 for 65 minutes and they turned out perfectly. Sugar can be cut to 3/4 cup and it's still plenty sweet. If you make sure that the cream cheese is softened and the eggs are at room temp (stick in room temp water for 5 mins) then these are incredibly creamy and smooth. These taste reminiscent of pumpkin pie but 1000x better. I don't think I can ever go back to regular pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.
- Lizzy
- Chicago, IL
- 12/3/2021
Pumpkin puree in a can is really squash.
- Cynthia Johnson
- CT.
- 10/11/2021
Easy to make. Delicious and beautiful! For the most beautiful design on top, use 2 toothpicks held together, running them back and forth, horizontally and vertically.
- Marna
- Seattle, WA
- 10/11/2021
I rarely make desserts. Made this for Covid Thanksgiving 2020. My family was fighting over these! Easy to make recipe. I mistakenly bought organic pumpkin pie filling. I added a bit more ginger. These are GOOD! Everyone loved these bars. Wondering if the can of pie filling might have made them more moist? At any rate, this dessert was a HUGE hit! Will make it again. Let them cool in in the turned off oven, and then refrigerated.
- mktaylor3
- Atlanta, Georgia
- 11/28/2020
Added 2 T flour and cooked per other suggested timing and turned out great!
- Anonymous
- Wisconsin
- 11/10/2019
After reading others' problems with the cooking time, I made this recipe and cooked the cheesecake at 300F for 65 minutes. I was very happy with the results. It definitely was a crowd pleaser and I'll make it again. I really liked the soft, creamy texture of this cheesecake.
- Anonymous
- SF, CA
- 11/29/2018
Yummy recipe. I would lessen the sugar by half and keep the same amount of maple syrup as it’s a bit sweet for me. Baking time definitely needs to be longer than 60 minutes at 275. I would push the temp up by 300 as it was still too soft in the middle. I baked it for an extra 20-25 minutes. Overall, it’s a creamy cheesecake and not the ny cheesecake style density.
- Shirleywong814
- New York
- 11/20/2018
Loved these! Like others noted, I had to bake these for almost 20-30 minutes longer. I also ended up turning up the oven to 300 after 50 minutes to speed things along.
- jaloc
- 11/14/2018
I made half this recipe for a dinner party I made this 1 day ahead. It was so good and pretty easy to make. I used and 8 inch square pan and the crust was just a tad thick but overall the pan worked great for the filling. I used a combination of light and regular cream cheese, light sour cream, and didn't have unsalted butter so didn't add the salt called for. I used a toothpick for swirling and topped with whipping cream to serve.
- Anonymous
- Huntington Beach, cA
- 11/14/2018
I baked these for a church event, and they were very soft in the center and I baked them for 60 minutes. If I make again I am going to increase the temperature.
- winewiz
- mt. prospect
- 11/9/2018
Baked it in glass pan. Didn’t reduce heat, and still baked it for 60mins. I did use less sugar (3/4c)and more syrup. Tasted a little bit salty — maybe i should cut down the salt next time? Texture of cheesecake is softer than NY style cheesecake.
- Anonymous
- Chicago
- 11/5/2018
Loved this recipe, but of note: I baked it for 55 minutes, after it seemed unfinished in the middle, I removed it when the "jiggle measure" seemed about right. I had hoped for it to firm up, as noted, but alas, not to be. most of the center was too mushy. I will bake it for probably 60-80 minutes next time.
- cggerard
- Salt SSalt
- 11/1/2018
Very tasty, tastes like fall! It will be hard to make it last more than 2 days in this house!
- dbpearl
- Long Beach, CA
- 10/29/2018
Made these for a party and they were a big hit. Made the recipe just as directed but perhaps undermeasured the sugar a bit. They're very rich.
- gmga
- Chicago
- 10/28/2018
I was 8 oz short on cream cheese and made the mistake of using the softer, whipped version that comes in a tub rather than a block. Mistake! The filling never set even after a night in the fridge. Delicious and indulgent, but we had to serve it with a spoon rather than in bars. Also: it makes a HUGE amount. Make half unless you have a dozen guests.
- Jkeva
- virginia
- 11/25/2022