No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Cook Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free (option)
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces whipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar. Stir until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of an 8×8 inch square baking pan lined with parchment paper. Place the pan in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed. Continue beating for about 2 to 3 minutes until the cream cheese is completely smooth and free of any lumps.
- Add the pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract to the cream cheese. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture is light and well-incorporated.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the whipped topping. Be careful not to over-mix, as you want to keep the filling light and airy. Continue folding until no white streaks remain and the color is a uniform soft orange.
- Remove the chilled crust from the refrigerator. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling over the crust and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer. Smooth the top as much as possible for a clean look.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight. This allows the cheesecake to firm up enough to be sliced into clean, beautiful bars.