Friends, they’re here! Your new favorite fall dessert has arrived. After the success of our Apple Butter Cheesecake Bars and Strawberry Cheesecake Bars, we knew what we had to do: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars! All the best parts of creamy cheesecake and sweet and spicy pumpkin pie combine in a glorious, decadent, and surprisingly easy dessert. Not only that, but they’re gluten-free and plant-based too!
Whether you’re making them for the holiday table or whipping up a batch for yourself when the pumpkin spice craving strikes, we’re sure you’ll love them! With simple ingredients and just 1 blender required, let’s make pumpkin cheesecake!
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
These pumpkin cheesecake bars start with a simple 6-ingredient oat-almond crust that tastes much like a graham cracker crust! Oats and almonds blend with salt, coconut sugar, and pumpkin pie spice for a naturally sweetened and wholesome base with major fall vibes.
The dough comes together with the help of coconut oil, which ensures it’s the perfect texture for pressing into a pan. Our favorite hack for preventing a crumbly crust is to pack it using a drinking glass over parchment paper. Then it’s ready to go in the oven to par-bake before adding the filling!
While the crust is baking, we transition to the pumpkin swirl filling. In the same (rinsed out) blender* you used for making the crust, cashews blend with coconut cream and vegan cream cheese for a rich and creamy filling with the same classic tanginess of real cheesecake! Maple syrup provides sweetness, arrowroot or cornstarch thickens it, and salt and (optional) vanilla infuse even more flavor!
*Note: Using a high-speed blender is a game-changer for creamy smoothies, sauces, desserts, and more! Find our blender recommendations in our unbiased blender review. Or for a lower cost option, a Nutribullet also does a great job of getting cashews creamy!
Pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice bring the pumpkin pie element, with more of them going into part of the filling to create two colors that get swirled together using a toothpick or knife.
After baking, all that’s left to do is let it cool in the fridge where the gorgeous swirls will emerge in full force. Then slice into bars and enjoy!
We hope you LOVE these pumpkin cheesecake bars! They’re:
Classic
Rich
Creamy
Decadent
Pumpkin-infused
Nutty
& Perfect for fall!
They’re the perfect make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving, fall birthdays, or any time the pumpkin or cheesecake craving strikes!
More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
- Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bars (V + GF)
- 1-Bowl Pumpkin Cake (Vegan + GF)
- Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- 1-Bowl Pumpkin Bread (V + GF)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars (Vegan + GF)
Ingredients
CRUST
- 3/4 cup rolled oats* (certified gluten-free as needed)
- 3/4 cup raw almonds*
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar (plus more to taste)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 4-5 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup coconut cream*
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese* (Toffuti is best, or Kite Hill brand)
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (DIVIDED)
- 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice (DIVIDED)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C) and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- CRUST: Add oats, almonds, salt, coconut sugar, and pumpkin pie spice to a high-speed blender and blend on high until the mixture resembles a fine meal.
- Add the lesser amount of coconut oil to the blender and pulse or blend until well combined (we find that using the tamper on our Vitamix helps this process a lot)! The mixture should hold together when squeezed in your hand. If too dry, add the extra coconut oil. Transfer the mixture to the lined 8×8 dish and spread evenly. Place parchment paper on top and press the dough into your pan using a flat-bottomed object, such as a drinking glass, to firmly and evenly distribute the crust.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the corners are golden and the center of the crust is lighter in color and dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- CHEESECAKE FILLING: While the crust is cooling, rinse your blender and make your cheesecake batter. Add raw cashews, coconut cream, vegan cream cheese, arrowroot or cornstarch, maple syrup, 1/2 cup (100 g) pumpkin purée, 1 tsp pumpkin spice blend, salt, and vanilla (optional), to the blender (if altering batch size, adjust amounts accordingly). Blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Set aside 1/2 cup of the cheesecake batter you just blended, then pour the remaining cheesecake batter on top of the slightly cooled crust. To the now empty blender, add your reserved 1/2 cup (120 ml) cheesecake batter, your remaining 1/2 cup (100 g) pumpkin purée, and your remaining 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (if altering batch size, adjust amounts accordingly). Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Gently tap the 8×8 dish on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles from the cheesecake layer, then dollop ~1/4 cup-sized scoops of the darker pumpkin cheesecake mixture you’ve just blended to the top of the filling and use the back of a knife or a toothpick to swirl.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes — until the edges are slightly brown and the center is still slightly jiggly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Cover the pan loosely with a kitchen towel or parchment paper and place in the refrigerator to chill for 6-8 hours or (preferably) overnight. After chilling, the top should have a glossy texture and the swirls will appear distinct.
- To serve, gently lift the cheesecake out of the pan and cut into 16 equal squares. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*We would not recommend trying to substitute anything in place of the vegan cream cheese. It’s essential to get that creamy, cheesy texture in this recipe.
*For all other substitution questions (including oats and almonds), see our Recipe FAQ.
*Prep time includes cooling for 6 hours.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of coconut oil and without optional ingredients.
Mia w says
I finally made these bars yesterday. I live in high altitude denver so I did Add a water bath in the oven as it baked to prevent cracking. I used Walnuts since I ran out of almonds and quick oats instead of rolled cause it’s all I had On hand. I added 2 Tbs of coconut oil which I believe was too much so next time I’m only doing 1/2-1 tbs oil for the crust cause it seems like walnuts may be more oily. I followed The filling exactly as recommended but with Kitchen Thai coconut cream and did add the vanilla but did just use the pumpkin pie spice I had on hand since I was Too lazy to mix my own spices. let it cool all the way before chilling over night and it turned out so delicious. I’ve frozen most of it for now so I will Crave as I go. Thank you so much minimalist baker for these awesome recipes.
We’re so glad you made the recipe and enjoyed it, Mia! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Stacy says
I’ve made this several times, and each time I just cannot believe how good it is! It’s been a big hit at holiday dinners and other gatherings, even with people who normally get nervous around the words “vegan” and “gluten free.” This just has perfect flavor in both the cheesecake and the crust – it’s a perfect addition to the holiday dessert repertoire.
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you and your guests love the recipe, Stacy. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Malka A Kutner says
Typically cashews need to be soaked. I see it doesn’t mention it. Will it still be creamy?
Hi Malka, We didn’t find it necessary, but you can soak them if you want!
lora jane williams says
Actually the reason for soaking the nuts is to reduce the antinutrients (ie tanins, oxalates. phytic acid, lectins..which block the absorption of nutrients and can actually aggravate the gut). .. so always a good idea to soak any nuts.. and it has never affected any recipe i have used nuts in..
this is an excellent recipe..thanks for sharing..
Stacy says
I’ve made these several times without soaking the cashews, and it turns out perfectly creamy.
Cassandra says
Hello
So I did read the notes about not substituting the vegan cream cheese….
But Im wondering your thoughts on swapping it for homemade vegan cream cheese? Found recipes that are essentially just cashews and coconut cream but thats already in the recipe..
Hi Cassandra, that might work as long as it’s not one that’s too savory-tasting (from miso paste or similar ingredients) and maybe use lemon juice instead of vinegar? Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Carissa Highman says
So good! I made this so I wouldn’t feel let out for not being able to eat the delicious pumpkin pie my MIL makes. And oh my word! I felt like I was the lucky one! So rich and creamy and decadent. Exactly what I needed for Thanksgiving this year.
Elicia Elliott says
I found the crust hard to get right – couldn’t get the oil content correct. Wound up needing to buy store bought.
Hi Elicia, sorry to hear the crust didn’t turn out right. Would you mind sharing more about not being able to get the oil content right? Was the mixture too oily or too dry?
elicia says
Seems it went from being too dry to tooo oily with no happy medium. Could just be my inexperience!
Aw, bummer! If you’re up for giving the recipe another try, we’d suggest trying to add the oil just 1 tsp at a time to see if that helps.
Rianna says
Hello,
I want to make this for thanksgiving this year, it almost hits the mark of every dietary restriction we need except a diabetic will be attending. Is it possible to supplement the sweeteners in this recipe with stevia? The diabetic does not consume maple syrup.
Hi Rianna, we are not familiar with substituting stevia in this recipe and are not sure if it would work. Let us know if you try it though!
Tori says
Yum!! I just made this last week, and it’s soooo good! I subbed some walnuts into the crust because I didn’t have enough almonds, which worked out great. There wasn’t much of a difference in the color in the swirl, but it was so good. This is the best combo of a cheesecake with some pumpkin pie vibes.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Tori. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Lauren says
And another Minimalist Baker recipe makes the rotation! I gave this a shot thinking it would work well – but I had no idea how well. These are SO GOOD! People didn’t know they were vegan. The texture is perfect and the pumpkin flavour was just right. I am excited to make this again for people to try. I omitted the optional cardamom in the pumpkin spice mix because I didn’t have it on hand, but otherwise did everything as instructed.
Thank you for this excellent recipe! :)
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Lauren. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks you! xo
Lauren says
Yes! I forgot that bit – 5 STARS!
Thank you Lauren!
lea b says
hi can i use regular dairy cream cheese?
thank you, lea
Hi Lea, Another reader reported they did that with success. Let us know how it goes for you!
mio says
is there anything i could use besides oil in the crust? thank you!:)
Hi Mio, perhaps more dates and/or a little water, but we haven’t tested it that way.
Mia says
Hi! Do you think these bars can last a week in the fridge?
Hi Mia! We’d suggest no longer than 5 days for these bars. The texture might change slightly, but they should be okay if you keep them tightly covered.
Rachel says
I made these exactly as written and they’re fantastic. Resist the temptation to eat them before they’re fully chilled. After a couple hours in the fridge, they were pretty good, but once they chilled completely they were perfect.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for sharing, Rachel. So glad you enjoy these bars!
Lona says
Absolutely delicious! It’s so worth chilling over night. I made my crust a bit thick because I wanted to use up all the almonds in my pantry but it turned out fine. Next time, I want to make sure there’s more “cheese.” Such a thoughtful and decadent recipe. Dana nailed it!
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Lona. So glad you enjoyed!
Cassandra says
These were so delicious I dont think I will be waiting until next Thanksgiving to make them again
Amazing! This is what we love to hear. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Cassandra!
Kelly says
These were delicious!! So creamy! The texture was amazing. I followed the recipe exactly for the filling. For the crust I used vegan, gluten free ginger snaps. Yum!!
Ooo, yummy! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Kelly!
Rachael says
Delicious! I made the recipe as written (apart from forgetting to put parchment paper under the crust) and it came out so yummy. It is flavorful and balanced without any one flavor dominating. I will make it again and again.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Rachael! Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Josefina Hendry says
Hi,
This recipe looks delicious. I was wondering if I could use either Daiya plain cream cheese or cashew homemade cream cheese as I am allergic to tofu and my store does not carry other brands. Thank you!
Hi Josefina, we haven’t tried it with Daiya, but we do think it would be preferable to homemade. Let us know if you try it!
Josefina Hendry says
Hi there,
Thank you for replying to my comment. I did try this recipe and it was delicious. Unfortunately, I did not have raw cashews bc I had used my last to make some cream cheese, so what I ended up doing was using that homemade cashew cream cheese instead of raw cashews. Also, I did not have coconut cream, so I used can coconut milk, but used a bit less. I also used Daiya cream cheese bc that’s what my closest store carries. The result was very good, but a bit soft. I will definitely be making this one again. Thank you.
Oh yay! So glad to hear it worked out for you, Josefina. Thanks so much for the review!
Nicole says
I am so excited to try this for Thanksgiving! I am hosting my parents, and my father loves cheesecake, so this will be a special treat.
I’d like to make it in a 8″ or 9″ springform pan. How long would you recommend I bake the crust?
Yay! Hi Nicole! The timings are the same for that size of pan. We hope everyone enjoys the cheesecake bars!
Colleen Haviland says
I made this to bring to Thanksgiving dinner as a vegan and gluten free option. The only modification I made was to use white sugar. I added the vanilla. My first time using vegan cream cheese and I was pleasantly surprised. I use a counter top oven which seems to bake everything a lot faster than the recommended time so the top started to get dark brown and I removed it about 10 minutes earlier than the minimum time. It is delicious and I will make it again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Colleen! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Jennifer H Alberson says
Has anyone tried this with without doing the two separate pumpkin and cheesecake filings and just making one filling? Does it affect the taste or just the aesthetic?
Hi Jennifer, we think it would still be tasty, just not as pretty!
Sarah says
I made this yesterday and just took a bite after letting it sit overnight. The texture and taste of the filling is perfect! The recipe itself is very easy. However, my crust on the bottom burned horribly and I’m not sure where i went wrong. :( It was baking middle rack, 350F, for the lower end of both baking cycles and I didn’t make any substitutions. I didn’t notice because of the parchment paper… maybe my oven just runs hot!
Hi Sarah! Bummer! It could be that your oven is hot, or that the type of pan you used was heating the crust more than usual? We have an oven thermometer inside our oven to ensure that our temperatures are accurate, so that could be worth a try! Hope you continue to enjoy the filling, regardless! Thanks so much for the 5 stars!
Steff says
Loved this! Used real cream cheese (low fat, 1:1 replacement) and added a tiny amount of bourbon to the dark pumpkin filling (will try with more next time). Pretty proud of myself for my first attempt at making my own cheesecake, especially one that’s not ridiculously sweet.
Ooo, those additions sound delish. Thanks so much for the review, Steff!
Kate says
This Pumpkin Cheesecake is to die for!! I loved it’!! It smelled so fabulous that I had to try it warm from the oven. This however was a mistake. All I could taste was coconut cream. Disappointing. I put it in the fridge overnight and then magic happened….It was amazing and tasted just like the pumpkin cheesecake, made with dairy, that I remembered. It has been 12 years since I have had this dessert and I am thrilled to find such an excellent recipe to replace the old dairy version. Thank you!!
**Key is to chill**
LOVE to hear this! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kate. So glad this recipe lives up to your memories!
Sarah says
Do the cashews need to be soaked?
We didn’t find it necessary, but it won’t hurt!
Baiba says
Dear Minimalist Baker Team,
I made the cake as it is similar to your apple cheesecake. I guess this is the first time I found a recipe of yours not to be tasty. The cake looked beautiful, it was simple and healthy. But the taste was totally off. Had to serve it with ice-cream. I swapped cream cheese for more cashews and coconut cream, but don’t think that could have made such a difference to ruin the cake. Maybe it could have worked with pumpkin butter and not adding any pumpkin to the base filling.
But I love Minimalist Baker forever :))
Hi Baiba, we’re so sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the result! The vegan cream cheese is key for the tangy flavor and correct texture and we definitely think that’s where it went wrong. If you’re up for giving it another try, we think your experience will be quite different with the addition of vegan cream cheese.
Baiba says
Wouldn’t have guessed that cream cheese is key here! :o But then it makes sense, Minimalist Baker still makes everything tasty.
Unfortunately vegan cream cheese is either not available or the quality would be poor here where I live. So I would probably go for another cake – I made your coffee cake today, absolutely fabulous!
Xoxo
Aw, shucks on not having access to good vegan cream cheese! We’re glad to hear the coffee cake was a success! xoxo
Leigh says
Vegan cream cheese OR is vegan cream cheese spread acceptable?
That should work!
Jessica says
This looks so delicious, I can’t wait to make them for my baby shower in December. I’m wondering if I can sub the cashews for more coconut cream. Also, for example when I make coconut whipped cream, I let the liquid drain from the bottom of my cans of coconut cream and just use the solid, do you do this for this recipe? or leave the liquid in? Thank you!!
Hi Jessica! For the coconut cream, you use both the liquid and solid portions. Our coconut cream usually isn’t separated quite like coconut milk, if yours is we suggest blending it to get a cohesive texture before measuring. As for cashews, they are quite important for the right texture, both for creaminess and for the cheesecake to solidify. If you can’t have them, we’d suggest soaking macadamia nuts and using those instead. Let us know what you think if you give the recipe a try!
Jessica says
Thank you for the info and tips, I really appreciate it! Also thank you for your delicious vegan and gluten free recipes because I am plant based and I have celiac, and I can think of at least five of your recipes that I keep in rotation in my kitchen!
* The reason for the separation is because I refrigerate my cans of coconut cream overnight for whipped cream and then drain the liquid from the bottom and just use the solid portion otherwise it won’t whip with the liquid.
Aw, we love hearing you enjoy our recipes, Jessica! xoxo
Christina says
These will be on our October/November dessert list every year! Made them last night and they are so good. I just want to encourage anyone that doesn’t have all the tools to make it anyway. I didn’t have an 8×8 so increased the recipe 1.8x for a 9×13 dish. Used our food processor for the crust, it turned out perfect. The volume of the filling ingredients was too much to mix in our food processor, so I used a large bowl and a 10 year old immersion blender….I was prepared for the texture to not be perfect, but honestly, I think it is pretty perfect. Love that it’s only sweetened with maple syrup & coconut sugar. Really great recipe and can’t wait to share it with friends & family.
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed them and were able to make it work with the equipment available! Thank you for sharing, Christina! xo
Kendall Connell says
Love all of your recipes! Unfortunately I cannot have cashews (or dairy) so lots of vegan recipes using cashews don’t work. What would you suggest for this recipe? Using more vegan cream cheese? Using macadamia nuts or almonds instead?
Hi Kendall! We haven’t tried this recipe with macadamia nuts, but it should work! The texture might not be quite the same, but if you soak them for at least 1 hour in boiling water you should have decent results. Let us know what you think if you give it a try!
Julie says
What could I use to substitute the coconut cream? I’m unfortunately allergic to coconut.
Hi Julie, cashew milk might work OK here but not quite as good as coconut cream! Or perhaps try a thick, dairy-free yogurt? Let us know how it goes!
Beatrix says
Any ideas for oat substitution? Many people with celiac disease, myself included, cant tolerate oats, even certified gluten free. Thanks.
Hi, We haven’t tried it but you could possibly substitute our DIY gluten free flour blend in place of the oats here (blend the almonds on their own and them mix everything in a bowl). It might not be as tender but it should work! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try! xo
Jenn says
How do I use real cream cheese in this recipe? I’ve grown weary of the gluten-free dairy free vegan recipes and would like alternatives.
Hi Jenn, it should work 1-1 for the vegan cream cheese!
Valentina Cherednichenko says
Hi! I only have about 5 ounces of vegan cream cheese in my fridge. Should I increase one of the other ingredients to make up for the missing little bit of cream cheese? If so, which one?
Hi Valentina, it could work to increase the cashews and coconut cream slightly and add a little bit of lemon juice to create the tanginess of the vegan cream cheese. Let us know if it works out!
Rita says
Can I use all cream cheese instead of cashews, coconut cream and vegan cream cheese. If so, how much? Don’t want to make vegan.
Hi Rita! Unfortunately we have not tried recipe this with regular cream cheese or eggs, like a traditional cheesecake. The method we use here (baking & chilling) is quite different from regular cheesecakes, and we aren’t sure if you would have good results. Let us know if you give any substitutions a try!
Carol Komassa says
Prep time over 6 hours? Is that an error?
Hi Carol, the prep time includes chilling the bars after baking!
Isabelle says
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I can’t have coconut cream, do you think I could get a good enough result with Kite hill cream cheese only, skip the coco cream? Thanks!
Hi Isabelle, it’s possible it would work with adding a bit more cream cheese and substituting almond or oat milk? Let us know how it turns out!
Bruce says
I need gluten free as I am allergic to wheat flour but I also need to keep my sugar intake to less than 30 grams per day. The 2/3 cup of maple syrup kills this recipe for me. Why not experiment with stevia or monk fruit or other sugar alternatives?
Hi Bruce, a monk fruit syrup or maple syrup alternative such as Choc Zero might work.
Sara says
Followed the directions, but the crust was SO burnt when I tried it in the morning. Shame for all the work and ingredients it takes.
Oh no! We’re so sorry that was your experience, Sara! Is it possible you were using a larger pan? Or did you make any modifications?
Fern Faang says
Any recommendations for cashew sub? Those and pistachios give me anaphylaxis :/
Hi Fern! We haven’t tried it but perhaps macadamia nuts would work, if you can have them?
Kaitlin says
What could I sub the cashews in the filling for ?
Hi Kaitlin! We haven’t tried this without cashews, but another nut like macadamia could work if you soak it for ~30 minutes in boiling water. Hope this helps!
Jessie says
Can’t wait to make this! What brand of canned pumpkin do you recommend? Some of the organic ones don’t taste so good… lol
Hi Jessie! Libby’s is definitely our favorite for pumpkin puree – it has the best flavor and texture.