Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are the perfect combination of cheesecake and pumpkin pie, but so much easier to make. They are creamy, tender and are full of warm and spicy autumn flavors.

Baking with pumpkin seems to be mandatory this time of year. Try googling pumpkin recipes and you will be blown away with all the different options. Seasonal cooking has a way of making us nostalgic and sentimental and who says there's anything wrong with that? I certainly don't. There's something very right and proper about bubbly, comforting casseroles in the cold winter months, asparagus and snap peas in the early spring, fresh garden tomatoes during the summer and of course, pumpkin is all the rage in the autumn. It's the iconic Thanksgiving dessert.

Every time I find myself in possession of this orange treasure, my mind quickly turns to cheesecakes. That's probably because cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts ever, so naturally pumpkin cheesecake would also be high on my list. I've realized that dessert bars are really my thing too, so this year, I've converted my favorite Deluxe Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe into these amazing Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. I am now officially converted and will make these bars as long as there's pumpkin available. The addition of sour cream to the cheesecake batter makes them even more tender, which is exactly how I like it.

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients:

graham crackers - graham crackers are the traditional option for a cheesecake crust, but you can also use vanilla wafers, shortbread cookies or gingersnap cookies instead of the graham crackers
pecans - pecans pair so well with the graham crackers and add more flavor, nuttiness and crunchiness. You can use any other nuts instead of pecans - almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, etc.
granulated sugar - just a bit of sugar to add some sweetness to the crust
butter - this keeps the crust all together and of course, adds more richness and flavor

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:

cream cheese (make sure the cream cheese is at room temperate before you start mixing so that it mixes evenly
granulated sugar
eggs - room temperature
sour cream - my secret ingredient to make this dessert extra tender and delicious
vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg (these will give these bars the iconic pumpkin pie flavor and aroma).
canned pumpkin - make sure this is canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin filling
optional - whipped cream, to add on top of the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Preparing the Graham Cracker Crust:

Tutorial for how to make a graham cracker crust for pumpkin cheesecake bars

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use a food processor to pulse the graham crackers, pecans and sugar together until the cookies and nuts are finely ground.
Pour in the melted butter and mix again until everything has a wet sand consistency. Press the graham cracker ingredients into the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. You can line it with aluminum foil to make it easier to take out the bars from the baking dish later.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes.

Preparing the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling and Baking the Bars

While the crust is baking, combine the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream and vanilla in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer until evenly combined.
Add the eggs, one at a time.
When the crust is baked, pour about ⅔ of the cheesecake filling over the crust.
Add the canned pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg to the remaining cheesecake mixture and mix to combine.
Pour the pumpkin mixture over the cheesecake mixture.
Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center just barely jiggles.

Tips to Prevent Cheesecakes From Cracking

Make sure the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs are at room temperature before mixing them. If they are too cold, they won't combine evenly. You will have flecks of cream cheese that won't mix in properly. You will also have to mix it longer if it's cold, which will add more air to it than necessary.
Don't over mix the cream cheese. If you whip in too much air into the cream cheese, it is more likely to crack.
Be careful not to overtake the cheesecake. Even after you turn off the oven and take the cheesecake out of the oven, it will continue cooking. Turn it off when the cheesecake is set around the edges but is still slightly "jiggly" in the center. It will cook through while it finishes cooking, but won't be as likely to crack.
Sudden temperature changes can also cause the cheesecake to crack. Taking it out of the hot oven and into the much cooler room temperature may cause it to crack. Leave the cheesecake in the oven, propping the oven door slightly open after turning off the oven, letting it gradually cool off.
If you do end up with a crack even with all these tips, cutting up the bars and adding a dollop of whipped cream on top will hide the cracks. The bars will be just as delicious.

Serving the Cheesecake Bars

Cool the bars completely before cutting them into bars. They cut the best if you chill them in the refrigerator first. This is the perfect dessert to be made ahead of time, so take advantage of that characteristic during the holidays.

Serve the bars with a drizzle of caramel and whipped cream.