Name: Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 stick softened butter (salted); 3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed); 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon almond extract (can substitute with vanilla extract); 1 cup pumpkin puree; 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter; 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 baking powder; 1 stick softened butter (salted); 8 ounces softened cream cheese; 3 cups powdered sugar

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These pumpkin cheesecake bars are the best! They make your upcoming Holiday gatherings DELICIOUS! My Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are simple to prepare with perfect pumpkin spices and cream cheese frosting!

Be sure to try my Pumpkin Spice Oreo Fudge recipe too!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Fall baking season is always so much fun! These peanut butter pumpkin cheesecake bars will have your guests begging for the recipe. So easy to whip up, flavor packed with sweet pumpkin flavors and convenient to transport.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Great For Fall Baking. These bars make the perfect dessert for any Fall Baking!
Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting. The cream cheese frosting takes these bars to the next level.
Simple To Make. They’re not only absolutely delicious, they’re simple to make!

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What You’ll Need

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make pumpkin cheesecake bars at home. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details and instructions.

Salted Butter– I prefer using salted butter in my cooking and baking recipes, but unsalted butter works just fine here too.
Light Brown Sugar– When shopping for brown sugar, you’ll notice there’s also dark brown sugar available. Either work great in this recipe.
Granulated Sugar– Granulated sugar helps sweeten the bars.
Large Egg– For consistency, I use large eggs for all of my cooking and baking.
Pure Vanilla Extract– For best results always purchase the pure vanilla extract.
Pumpkin Puree- Double check when purchasing pumpkin puree that the can does not say pumpkin pie filling. Two very different products.
Creamy Peanut Butter– Your favorite creamy peanut butter works great here. Often times I use the Skippy or Jif Natural.
All-Purpose Flour– The all-purpose flour is the main dry ingredient in the bars.
Kosher Salt– Kosher salt is a coarse salt that is often times used in cooking and baking.
Baking Soda– The baking soda helps in rising the bars during baking.
Baking Powder– The baking powder also helps rise the bars during baking.
Cream Cheese– It is very important to make sure your cream cheese is softened before preparing the frosting. This will help get a creamy texture rather than lumpy if it’s not softened.
Powdered Sugar– The powdered sugar is used to help prepare the cream cheese frosting. It’s also referred to as Confectioners Sugar.

creaming butter and sugars for pumpkin cheesecake bars

How To Make Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat Oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.

Cream Butter and Sugars. Place butter and sugars into a large mixing bowl. Beat until well combined.

pumpkin and peanut butter added to mixing bowl

Add Wet Ingredients. Egg and almond extract up next, stirring until combined. Add pumpkin puree and peanut butter, stirring to combine.

Add Dry Ingredients. Stir in flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder until dough is formed.

pumpkin cheesecake bars dough in mixing bowl

pumpkin bars dough pressed in baking dish

Press Dough Into Baking Pan. Transfer to baking dish, spreading evenly into bottom of pan.

Bake. Bake for 27-30 minutes, until baked through. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting. To prepare cream cheese frosting, place butter and cream cheese into a large mixing bowl. With a hand mixer or spoon, beat until well combined. slowly add powdered sugar until consistency is thick and creamy. Spread frosting over cooled bars.

What If I Forgot To Soften My Cream Cheese In Advance?

While the oven is preheating, stick the cream cheese in the foil wrapping in oven for about 10 minutes. Remove and it should be warm and softened to use in recipe.

Cut Into Squares. Cut pumpkin bars into squares and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

Recipe Tips For Success

Soften Cream Cheese. A few hours before making these pumpkin bars, make sure to take out the cream cheese so it’s softened completely.
Quality Ingredients. For best tasting results, use the best quality ingredients in your recipe.
Plastic Knife To Cut. For less sticking, use a plastic knife to cut bars into squares.

How To Serve Pumpkin Bars

Serve pumpkin bars room temperature or chilled. They’re perfect for your upcoming Fall parties. The thick layer of cream cheese frosting is irrisistable.

How to Store Pumpkin Bars

Refrigerate. Store any leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.

Try More Pumpkin Recipes!