Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe {with Streusel Topping}

Fall bazaars, family get togethers, and afternoon coffee or tea are the perfect times for pumpkin streusel bars. Using Biscoff cookies for the crust adds wonderful pumpkin ginger spice to the creamy filling.

Everyone needs a handful of good fall recipes, and I’ve got you covered from dessert to soup! In addition to pumpkin cream cheese bars, you’re going to want to try my healthy Maple Pumpkin Scones — drool!

Primary Ingredients

All ingredients, measurements and instructions are in the handy printable recipe card at the end of the post!

Biscoff Cookie Crust Ingredients

First we’ll start off with the Biscoff cookie crust, the cornerstone for these pumpkin bars.

• Biscoff Cookies | If you don’t have Biscoff cookies, Speculoos or other Gingersnap type cookies work for this crust.
• Butter & Sugar |You do not need much to make this spicy, crispy, delicious crust!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling Ingredients

• Pumpkin Puree | Check the label carefully—you want puree and not pie filling, which has extra sugar and spices.
• Cream Cheese | I used full-fat cream cheese, but you could also use Neufchatel cheese for a bit lighter
• Sugar | I prefer to use organic pure cane sugar, but feel free to use regular white granulated sugar instead.
• Greek Yogurt | This is my secret, healthy ingredient to make the filling lighter! Plain yogurt, sour cream, or a plant-based alternative all make great substitutes.
• Eggs | I use large eggs in all of my baking.
• Spices | The aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger will tantalize you, or make your own pumpkin pie spice.

Streusel Topping Ingredients

• Rolled Oats, Dark or Light Brown Sugar, Flour, Butter and Salt is all you need for an amazing streusel topping!

How to make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Streusel

Step One | Make the Biscoff Cookie Crust

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little hanging over the sides.
• Crush Biscoff cookies in freezer baggie, using a rolling pin or whir for a few seconds in a food processor.
• Mix the cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Press it into your baking pan. Bake in 325 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes, while you prepare filling. Remove and set aside.

Step Two | Make Streusel Topping

• In a medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, butter, and salt for the streusel topping, squishing together with hands or spoon.
• Place it in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

Step Three | Making the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bar filling

• Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• To make the filling, use a mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about a minute. Then, add the eggs one at a time and continue beating.
• Next, add the vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, yogurt, and spices. The filling will be thin, but don’t worry—once baked, it will be perfect!
• Pour your filling over the cookie crust and bake for 25 minutes, don’t worry you will add the streusel crumble topping in a bit.

Step Four | Adding Streusel Topping

• After the cream cheese bars are partially baked, crumble the streusel topping over the pumpkin cheesecake filling carefully so it sits on top. Continue baking until done for an other 25-30 minutes, covering loosely with foil around 30 minutes.
• On a wire rack, allow the bars to cool for one hour before putting them in the fridge. They need to chill for three hours or overnight for the best slicing experience.
• When you’re ready to serve your pumpkin streusel bars, pull them out of the baking pan with the parchment paper and cut into squares.
• If you make the brown butter glaze, drizzle it on top.
• And you’re done! Just be ready when your family and friends ask for more of these healthy pumpkin bars.

Substitutions

• If you don’t have pumpkin puree, substitute squashes like butternut, honeynut, and acorn with delicious results.
• Another variation is to use sweet potatoes. Bake the sweet potatoes for about 1 ½ hours in their skins to caramelize them, then turn them into a puree for your streusel bars.

Variations

• GLUTEN-FREE PUMPKIN BARS | For gluten free pumpkin bars, substitute GF butter cookies or try using GF Graham Crackers. Almond flour or other GF flours works for the topping. And don’t forget to use GF oats. The GF option is so yummy!
• VEGAN PUMPKIN BARS | For a vegan version of healthy pumpkin bars, substitute cashew cream for cream cheese and cashew sour cream for yogurt. Good egg substitutions include Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer or ½ a banana per egg.

Ways to Serve Pumpkin Streusel Bars

This fantastic recipe is from Sally’s Baking Addiction, I’ve adapted it for high altitude and personal taste.

• Pumpkin Streusel bars are delicious all by themselves!
• Sally serves with a Basic Vanilla Glaze, which would be amazing!
• Take them over the top with this brown butter glaze, use the maple option for the ultimate fall treat.
• Or simply serve them with a dollop of whipped cream and don’t forget to grate some fresh nutmeg over the top!

For the full recipe and tips be sure to visit the blog post!

https://www.thefreshcooky.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-bars-recipe/