Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars made with greek yogurt are the perfect treat to welcome the fall season! Light, creamy pumpkin spiced cheesecake tops a brown sugar, graham cracker and pecan crust.
I’m at it again with the Greek yogurt cheesecake! We loved this Greek yogurt cheesecake tart so much that I just had to make another cheesecake dessert. And what better way to celebrate September than with pumpkin cheesecake bars, right?
Or, have you tried my classic Instant Pot Cheesecake Recipe? It’s so easy and delicious too.
Over the weekend I made a batch of pumpkin pie spice and immediately used some of it to make these Pumpkin Greek Yogurt Cheesecake Bars. These bars have a graham cracker and pecan crust that’s pretty delicious on its own. The crust is lightly sweetened with brown sugar and hit with a little bit of cinnamon too.
On top of the crust is a light, creamy pumpkin cheesecake. I know I’ve said it before, but Greek yogurt really is amazing as a cheesecake base. It gives plenty of creaminess and you’ll love the way these lighter cheesecake bars taste. They have a slight tang from the yogurt and a delicious pumpkin spice flavor!
The best part (besides the way they taste of course) is that these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are so easy to make. Speaking of easy, have you tried my classic Instant Pot Cheesecake Recipe? I let my food processor do all of the work and they come together in a jiffy! I use the food processor to make both the crust and the cheesecake, with just a quick wipe down in between. Not counting the baking or cooling time, you can have these cheesecake bars prepped in less than 30 minutes. That’s my kind of dessert!
If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender (or a rolling pin) to crush the graham crackers and a knife to finely chop the pecans. A good old bowl and spoon (or a stand mixer) will work to do the rest of the mixing. You’ll just have to put in a little more effort than you would if you used a food processor. 🙂
Either way, these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are sure to become a favorite treat. I know I’ll be making them again and again!
More Pumpkin Recipes:
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 9 graham cracker sheets, 18 squares
- ¼ cup pecans
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
For the Cheesecake:
- 2 cups full fat Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice, for serving
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8x8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper so that you have a parchment overhang on two opposite sides.
- In a food processor, process the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and process until pecans are chopped into small pieces. Pour in the melted butter and pulse a few times to incorporate.
- Pour the crust mixture into the prepared pan and use your hand to press it down into an even layer.
- Bake 13-15 minutes, until lightly golden. (If using a metal pan you will need to reduce the baking time by about 2 minutes.) Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
Make the Cheesecake Layer:
- Wipe out the food processor bowl. To the bowl, add the Greek yogurt, pumpkin, eggs and vanilla. Process until smooth. Add the sugar, flour, and pumpkin pie spice. Process until well combined.
- Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the pre-baked crust and use a spatula to spread it evenly.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the center jiggles just slightly when you shake the pan. (If using a metal pan, bake for about 30 minutes.) Let cool for 1-2 hours on a wire rack and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, if desired.
Caramel Apple Crumble Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin-Apple Breakfast Smoothie
Pumpkin Recipes from Friends:
Simple Pumpkin Waffles from Savory Nothings
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting from Live Well Bake Often
Mini Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecakes from Flavor the Moments
Yea, more pumpkin recipes! These cheesecake bars sound delicious. Love that you use greek yogurt. SO healthy!
Thanks, Natalie! I’m loving all of the pumpkin recipes right now, too!
These pumpkin bars are gorgeous Kristine! Love that you used Greek yogurt in the filling and pecans in the crust. Yum!
Thank you, Christin! I love pumpkin and pecans together. 🙂
Ooh yum! Love the greek yogurt 🙂
Thanks, Medha!
Oooh, these look so creamy and decadent! But I love that they are healthier!
Thank you, Kelly!
These cheesecake bars look amazing, Kristine! I love sneaking in Greek yogurt whenever I can, so these are perfect! Love your gorgeous pictures, too!
Thanks, Gayle! I think we feel the same way about Greek yogurt! 😉
Kristine, these look like cheesecake perfection, and I love that they’re made completely with Greek yogurt! I need to be trying this very soon!
Thank you, Marcie! I think you would enjoy these!
I made your pumpkin pie spice over the weekend to bake with and it worked perfectly! I love pumpkin cheesecake, so I love that this version uses greek yogurt and is much lighter. These look delicious, Kristine!
I’m so glad the pumpkin pie spice worked for you, Danielle! I need to make another batch soon. 🙂
These bars look great! SO light and delicious. The pumpkin cheesecake flavour is ideal for this fall period too. Yum.
Thank you, Thalia! I’m loving all things pumpkin right now!
These bars look perfect, Kristine! I love that they’re healthier with just greek yogurt and pumpkin! So light, creamy and delicious!
Thank you, Kelly! Even though these are healthier, they still taste amazing!
I love a healthier version of any dessert, because it’s just not something I’m very willing to give up! Greek yogurt is the perfect addition to cheesecake — I need to try it sometime!
I’m not willing to give up dessert either, Ashley, so I’ve got to have healthier options!
These cheesecake bars look amazing, and I love that they’re lightened up with Greek yogurt! I’ve never actually tried making cheesecake with just yogurt, so I definitely need to try that. Especially with pumpkin!
Thank you, Stacey! You’ll be amazed at how well Greek yogurt works in cheesecake!
Although these bars look absolutely divine, I’m a little hesitant to make them for Thanksgiving only because they don’t call for any cream cheese. I’ve never heard of cheesecake without the cream cheese! I’m worried that they will taste like too healthy of a version(?).
Also, I was curious if you may have access to the nutritional information on these… Help convince me to make them! I’ve just never baked with only greek yogurt for a dessert. 🙂
Thank you for your question, Courtney! I’ve made these bars at least five times and they are always a huge hit! Yes, the texture and flavor is different than that of a cheesecake made with cream cheese. These are much lighter and have a bit more tang from the Greek yogurt. If it’s a traditional cheesecake flavor you are looking for, then these probably aren’t for you. But they are absolutely delicious!
I don’t calculate nutritional info for my recipes, but there are lots of online calculators that you can use. If you do make these, let me know how you like them. 😉
Great recipe! We’ve got some pretty picky eaters around, do you have an alternative to pumpkin?
Hi Alex, you might like either this lemon version or you could use the filling for this Greek yogurt cheesecake. Enjoy!
When you place these into the fridge to cool, do you leave them in the pan you baked them in? Sounds delish and I’m baking them now!
Yes, I leave them in the pan! Enjoy!
Kristine, thanks for the reply! They taste delicious! 2 more questions! How many days do you think they will last kept in the fridge? And are they freezer friendly? Thanks!
Hi Debra, I would eat them within four days of baking and refrigerating. I’ve never tried freezing these. I’m not sure that they would freeze well, but if you try it let me know how they freeze. 🙂
I love all things pumpkin, but didn’t like the heaviness of traditional cream cheese bars. These light delights give all the pumpkin flavor without being too filling. Just lovely!