Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are a perfect way to use up some leftover pumpkin puree you may have. Creamy, spiced just right, and always a crowd-pleaser. The best part is, you don't need to make two different kinds of fillings. Both layers are made from the same batter.
You can make this simple and budget-friendly recipe for pumpkin cheesecake bars up to 3 days ahead of time. This makes them perfect for the busy holiday season. (shhhh... they even freeze well!)
This recipe is made in an 8×8 pan and will give you 8 generous pieces. I have not tested this recipe in a springform but it should work perfectly in an 8" or 9" round pan.
If you love pumpkin recipes make sure to check out my Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe and my Gluten Free Baked Pumpkin Donuts.
Jump to:
- Recipe Ingredient Notes
- How to make Gluten Free Cheesecake Crust
- How to make the Gluten Free Vanilla Cheesecake Filling
- How to make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- How to assemble the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- How to bake Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- How to slice cheesecake
- How to decorate and serve Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Frequently Asked Questions about Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Join my Gluten Free Community!
- Note about Salt in my Recipes
- Baking in grams
- Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
- Substitutions and Modifications
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Gluten Free Flour: For the shortbread crust, I used my own gluten free flour blend. This recipe works great with widely available products like King Arthur Measure for Measure.
Cream Cheese: For the cream cheese layer in this recipe for Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars I use full-fat cream cheese. I have not tested this recipe with reduced-fat cream cheese.
Canned Pumpkin: Please make sure to buy 100% canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. They often sit next to each other on shelves at the grocery store and have very similar labels. As much as I love making everything from scratch, canned pumpkin is very convenient.
Not all canned pumpkin is created equal. Some brands are very watery while others are on the dryer side. Personally, I like to use Libby’s or Aldis. If your canned pumpkin appears very wet and runny, I recommend blotting it with some paper towels to remove extra water.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix: Pumpkin Pie Spice is a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. It’s very simple to make it at home and use ingredients you already have in your pantry.
Combine the following ingredients and store them in an airtight container. Feel free to double or triple this recipe.
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
How to make Gluten Free Cheesecake Crust
Traditionally cheesecakes are made with a graham cracker crust. Gluten-free graham crackers can be expensive and not always available. This is why I opt for a simple shortbread crust for my Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F
Step 2: Line an 8×8 (or 9×9 pan) with parchment paper and set it aside. Make sure to leave some overhang on the sides to remove the cheesecake easily from the pan.
Step 3: Whisk together the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Cut your butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. You can use your clean hands or two forks to work the butter into the flour until it is crumbly.
Step 4: Press the mixture in an even layer into the prepared pan. I like to use an offset knife for this or the back of a spoon.
Step 5: Bake the crust at 350F for 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown.
When your crust is done baking, do NOT turn off the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 300F
How to make the Gluten Free Vanilla Cheesecake Filling
Make sure to set out your cream cheese in advance so it has enough time to come to room temperature. Cold cream cheese will not whip up smoothly.
The cheesecake filling for the pumpkin bars is very simple. In the bowl of your stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment), mix together the room temperature cream cheese, granulated white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. This should take around 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of your bowl with a spatula. Beat in the eggs and the egg yolk one at a time, just until combined; do not overmix once you’ve added the eggs.
How to make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
In a separate bowl combine the canned pumpkin with the spices and mix together. Add around half of the vanilla cream cheese mixture and stir until completely combined.
How to assemble the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
To assemble the cheesecake bars for baking, place the vanilla cheesecake filling on top of the prebaked crust. With the back of a spoon, a spatula or an offset knife spread out the batter evenly. Top the vanilla cheesecake filling with the pumpkin cheesecake filling and spread it out evenly. Make sure to get the filling all the way to the corners. Gently tap the back of your spoon against the sides of the pan. This will help to release air bubbles (which can cause cracks).
How to bake Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Once you have your Cheesecake bars fully assembled, it is time to bake them. Bake them at 300F in the middle of your oven for 40-45 minutes. No peaking! This is why (most) ovens have windows.
Your cheesecake is done when it is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the middle. You can test for this around 40 minutes into the baking time.
If you feel like your cheesecake is done, turn off the oven but leave your cheesecake in the oven to cool for at least 30 minutes. I recommend cracking the door just a tiny bit. Allowing the cheesecake to cool in the oven allows for it to finish baking but since there is no sudden change of temperature there is less of a chance for it to crack.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool it completely before placing it in the fridge for at least 3 hours (Overnight works the best!) before cutting.
You can make this cheesecake up to 3 days ahead of time and can even freeze it if needed (major bonus for the holidays) Just skip the toppings until you are ready to serve.
How to slice cheesecake
A cold, very well-set cheesecake is easier to cut than a warm one. Always use a long, very sharp, knife, preferably thin. I also like to use a pitcher with hot water instead of running hot water constantly while cutting.
What you will need to slice picture-perfect cheesecake
- cold, well-set pumpkin cheesecake
- a pitcher with HOT water
- clean, dry towel
- sharp Chef’s Knife
Dip your Chef’s Knife in the hot water and dry very well with the towel. The hot water will warm up the blade and will slide through the cheesecake a lot easier.
Clean your knife in between cuts in the hot water, wipe clean, and continue cutting. The cleaning is the very important part here. If you skip this step your gonna smudge all the leftovers from your previous cut onto the next cut.
How to decorate and serve Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
I topped my gluten free pumpkin cheesecake bars with sweetened whipped cream (also known as Crème Chantilly). I prefer the stabilized version which contains gelatin but will hold up for at least 2 days. As a garnish, I kept it simple and used some cinnamon sugar.
Here are a few fun garnish and serving ideas
- Chopped up Gluten Free Spiced Pecans
- Chopped up Gluten Free Austrian Candied Almonds
- Gluten Free Whiskey Caramel Coffee Sauce
- Bourbon Hot Fudge Sauce
Frequently Asked Questions about Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Fresh and canned pumpkin purée will only last for up to one week stored in the fridge. But when frozen it will last for months. To freeze any unused pumpkin puree transfer it to a ziplock bag and lay it out flat. This way it freezes quickly, won't take up much space in the freezer and will thaw quickly too. It will thaw quickly at room temperature when you are ready to bake more delicious pumpkin treats.
Yes, cheesecake bars need to be refrigerated after baking so they can set up fully. If you plan on serving them at a "buffet style" gathering, I only recommend having them at room temperature for up to 2hrs.
These gluten free cheesecake bars should be chilled in the fridge overnight, so I recommend making them at least the night before you plan on serving them. They can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Just skip the toppings and any garnishes until you are ready to serve them.
Yes, cheesecake bars can be frozen. I highly recommend freezing them without any garnishes. Just like freezing cookie dough, I recommend freezing the slices individually on a sheet tray (uncovered) first before transferring them to an airtight container. You may also freeze the entire uncut cheesecake. To freeze the entire cheesecake I recommend placing it on a sheet tray and place in the freezer until solid. Once frozen wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil (or if you have a big enough ziplock bag). Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to eat allow for it to thaw in the refrigerator.
Join my Gluten Free Community!
Note about Salt in my Recipes
I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.
Baking in grams
I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.
Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.
If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.
Substitutions and Modifications
Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Gluten free pumpkin cheesecake bars are a perfect way to use up leftover pumpkin puree. Budget-Friendly, Spiced just right, and a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
For the Gluten Free Shortbread Crust
- 150 grams gluten free multipurpose flour
- 50 grams light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (2 gram) kosher salt
- 85 gram unsalted butter, cold
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 450 grams full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 100 grams granulated white sugar
- 50 grams light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
- 125 grams canned pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Crème Chantilly
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 1 tablespoon water, cold
- 235 ml heavy whipping cream, cold
- 40 grams powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
How to make Gluten Free Shortbread Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Line an 8×8 (or 9×9 pan) with parchment paper and set aside. Make sure to leave some overhang on the sides to remove the cheesecake easily from the pan.
- Whisk together the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- Cut your butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. You can use your clean hands or two forks to work the butter into the flour until it is crumbly.
- Press the mixture in an even layer into the prepared pan. I like to use an offset knife for this or the back of a spoon.
- Bake the crust at 350F for 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown.
- When your crust is done baking, do NOT turn off the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 300F
How to make the Vanilla Cheesecake Mixture
- In the bowl of your stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment), mix together the room temperature cream cheese, granulated white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. This should take around 2-3 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of your bowl with a spatula. Beat in the eggs and the egg yolk one at a time, just until combined; do not overmix once you’ve added the eggs.
How to make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- In a separate bowl combine the canned pumpkin with the spices and mix together. Add around half of the vanilla cream cheese mixture and stir until completely combined.
How to assemble the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Pour the vanilla cheesecake filling on top of the prebaked crust. With the back of a spoon, a spatula or an offset knife spread out the batter evenly.
- Top the vanilla cheesecake filling with the pumpkin cheesecake filling and spread it out evenly. Make sure to get the filling all the way to the corners.
- Gently tap the back of your spoon against the sides of the pan. This will help to release air bubbles (which can cause cracks).
How to bake Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Bake at 300F in the middle of your oven for 40-45 minutes. No peaking!
- Your cheesecake is done when it is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the middle. You can test for this around 40 minutes into the baking time.
- If you feel like your cheesecake is done, turn off the oven but leave your cheesecake in the oven to cool for at least 30 minutes
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool it completely before placing it in the fridge for at least 3 hours (Overnight works the best!) before cutting.
- When ready to serve cut the cheesecake with a hot, clean knife. Garnish with Crème Chantilly or your garnish of choice.
- Enjoy!
How to make Crème Chantilly
- Combine 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin and 1 tablespoon cold water in a small microwave save bowl. Allow sitting for 5 minutes.
- Microwave the gelatin water mixture on high for 15-20 seconds. It will melt very quickly.
- Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk/balloon attachment. Whisk at a medium speed until it starts to thicken but before the soft peak stage.
- While the cream is whipping carefully add the melted gelatin/water to the mixture. You want to add this at a steady stream.
- Continue to whisk until medium-stiff peaks have formed.
- Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and garnish Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars when ready to serve.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 350
Steph says
Just baked those Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars and the house smells heavenly. Such an easy recipe to follow. We can't wait to dig in!
Rebecca Reilly says
The bars look amazing. One comment on the instructions. I suggested in the directions for the crust, changing the word pour into pan. I am a very seasoned cook and it confused me. Just my 2 cents
Daniela Weiner says
This is so funny you mention this. I was just looking at this myself and was like "that doesn't make sense". I write a lot of my recipes late at night and reread them the next day to fix issues like this. I appreciate your feedback!
Martin says
Thoughts on scaling this up to a 9x13 pan? I have 16 people coming for dinner and I only have one 8x8 square pan.
Daniela Weiner says
No problem at all! This is the beauty of working with grams. Double the recipe and start checking the cheesecake at around 50 minutes.
Rachel says
I just made these for Thanksgiving and they were SO GOOD! Not overly sweet (just the way I like it) and the perfect balance of pumpkin, cheesecake and crust. No one could tell they were gluten free either! So dang good. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Daniela Weiner says
Yay! I love hearing this. Thank you so much, Rachel
Sharon says
Daniela, Thank you for this recipe!
I made these the Monday before Thanksgiving, I know, what was I thinking😵💫! Tuesday I decided I should freeze them. I figured a gf crust would be mush but the cheesecake would probably be good. Took them out of the freezer Thursday morning, the crust was still a crust!!!! Friday…still pretty good. I was going to say that I thought it was a bit salty, but I just realized I did not use unsalted butter and then proceeded to add salt, oops 😬. It’s a keeper!
Daniela Weiner says
Sharon, I am laughing so hard right now. I read this half asleep and saw "a bit salty" and was like "dear lord... did I write down the wrong salt amount? did everyone eat salt cheesecake? Then I saw you used salted butter. I am sorry that happened but I am glad they still worked out.
Michelle says
I’m trying to add some gf desserts to my baking list bc I have many friends who eat gf and I love to bake for people. The pumpkin cheesecake bars were delicious and at the top of the list!
Daniela says
Thank you so much, Michelle. Those Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars were a huge hit all around this holiday season
Staci says
I don't have a pan, but glass pyrex in the suggested pan size. Should I change time/temp with glass over metal?
Daniela says
Staci, I have to admit I don't bake with glass pans ever since one broke in half on me in the oven. I prefer baking with metal since it distributes heat more evenly. With this being said, if you would like to try the Cheesecake Bars in a glass pan, I recommend lowering the temperature by 25F. As for baking time, I would probably reduce it by a few minutes for sure.
Katie Bonzer says
These look so great. Can’t wait to make them.
Daniela says
hope you love them even though there is no chocolate in them 🤣
Lea Maerker says
I don’t have the recommended Pan so I just used a round Springpan with 27cm diameter. It worked perfectly, but I would recommend making double or at least 1,5 times the original amount of filling.
Daniela says
Thank you for sharing this! Great way to adapt a recipe for the pan size you own
Clarey says
These bars are perfection. My children, who both love pumpkin, declared they are their favorite pumpkin treat! I used a little less flour and brown sugar the second time and the crust turned out better. I recommend using a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour and brown sugar mixture. Also, I never used to weigh my ingredients, but you made me a believer! So much quicker and dirties far fewer dishes.
Maria Fiore says
I really want to try this recipe, but I'm on a dairy-free diet. Is it possible to use dairy-free cream cheese instead?
Daniela says
I have never baked with dairy free cream cheese. So you would have to adventure out and give it a try. Sorry I don’t have any feedback regarding dairy free cream cheese.
Lizzy says
Hello Daniela and Maria! Daniela, I make all of your recipes dairy free and they turn out absolutely fantastic every time! Maria, I use tofutti better than cream cheese, and earth balance vegan butter. Give it a whirl! I have made these pumpkin cheesecake bars a few times and people love them-and can’t believe they are gluten and dairy free ❤️❤️
Jasmine says
Hi, I want to make this for Thanksgiving and I'm wondering two things. 1) Could I make the shortbread crust two days a head 2) Could I get away with a gf graham cracker crust and 3) How long could this sit in the fridge after it's baked (1 or 2 days)? Thanks!
Daniela says
Hi Jasmine, you could very well make a gluten free graham cracker crust for these pumpkin cheesecake bars. The only reason I use a shortbread is because gluten free grahams are expensive and often hard to find. I have had this cheesecake sit in my fridge for almost a week but if it was me, I would probably bake this on Tuesday for a Thursday Thanksgiving gathering. This way the cheesecake can cool fully and will be easier to slice anyways.
Lauri M says
I made this for Thanksgiving. A delicious and easy recipe that I topped with your spiced pecans...yum! My brother-in-law who has made cheesecakes was surprised that mine was not cracked on top! Thanks for the tips about that.
SJ says
these really are great, along with the other cheesecake bars! They do freeze well but I really don’t need to since we eat them so quickly.
Carrie says
I almost never comment on recipes, but this one is AMAZING. I brought 2 batches to a Halloween party last night. Every single one of them was eaten. No one knew they were gluten free. These are absolutely excellent. The pumpkin flavor is subtle, not overpowering, so everyone enjoyed these. Thanks for a great recipe!
Daniela says
This makes me so happy! Thank you so much for your kind words