These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are ultra creamy, with a crisp gingersnap cookie crust, real pumpkin flavor, and cozy fall spices. An unexpected burst of delicious flavor comes from the addition of irish cream in the cheesecake bars and the homemade whipped cream on top!
This recipe is sponsored by our friends at Five Farms Irish Cream. All opinions are my own, Thanks for supporting the brands that make Blue Bowl possible!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling – These cheesecake bars are ultra creamy, full of real pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, and don’t require a water bath.
- Crisp Gingersnap Crust – The crust is made with flavorful gingersnap cookies (store-bought for ease!).
- Irish Cream – For an unexpected and delicious twist, I’ve added Five Farms Irish Cream to the cheesecake bars and the whipped cream. It pairs so well with the pumpkin!
Ingredient Overview
As always, the full ingredient list can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Five Farms Irish Cream – Five Farms makes their Irish Cream from single batches of fresh cream, sourced from five family-owned Irish farms in County Cork. The cream is combined with premium Irish Whiskey for the best taste and an ultra creamy texture!
- Cream Cheese – Use full fat cream cheese for best results. Be sure to let this come to room temperature before baking.
- Eggs – Use large eggs, at room temperature.
- Canned Pumpkin – This cake calls for canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), but you can use homemade pumpkin puree if you aren’t able to purchase this in your local grocery store.
- Vanilla Extract – Use real vanilla for the best flavor.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Crust – Feel free to use biscoff cookies for the crust – they do have a similar taste to gingersnaps. Or, you can use regular graham crackers.
- Gluten-Free – Use gluten-free gingersnaps or graham crackers to make this recipe gluten-free.
How to Make this Recipe Step-by-Step:
Step 1: Make the Crust. Mix gingersnap cookie crumbs, melted butter, and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Press into a ceramic 9×9 baking pan, and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside while you make the cheesecake batter.
Step 2: Make the Cheesecake Batter. Cream cream cheese in a large bowl with a hand mixer, then mix in the white sugar, then the eggs and vanilla. Add canned pumpkin, cozy fall spices, and Five Farms Irish Cream. You should have a smooth, slightly runny batter.
Step 3: Bake the Cheesecake Bars. Pour the batter over your par baked crust, and bake as directed in the recipe card below. Let the bars cool at room temperature until no longer warm, then transfer to the fridge to chill at least 3 hours before serving.
Step 4: Make the Irish Cream Whipped Cream. Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and Five Farms Irish Cream together on high speed just until stiff peaks form. Dollop onto chilled cheesecake bars.
And now, we dig in! These delicious pumpkin cheesecake bars are like creamy pumpkin pie in cheesecake form, with a perfectly crisp crust and an unexpected burst of delicious Irish Cream! This true farm-to-table Irish Cream also makes a delicious accompaniment to your Thanksgiving meal (or a fabulous holiday gift). These bars are sure to be the hit of your Thanksgiving dessert table!
Expert Success Tips:
- Don’t Over Mix – Don’t over mix your cheesecake batter, or the cheesecake bars may come out with a bit of a pucker around the outside. They’ll still taste good, if this does happen!
- Don’t Over Bake – Follow the doneness indicators given in the recipe card below to avoid over baking your cheesecake bars.
Recipe Variations:
- Non Alcoholic – If you need these to be non alcoholic, simply omit the alcohol. No substitution necessary.
- Caramel Sauce – Serve these creamy cheesecake bars with my homemade salted caramel sauce for an extra burst of flavor!
Serving + Storing this Recipe:
Serve these delicious bars with our irish cream whipped cream, and add a dusting of nutmeg or cinnamon sugar over the whipped cream. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-6 days.
FAQs:
- Can these cheesecake bars be made ahead? Yes! Since cheesecake bars need to chill in the fridge anyways, they’re a great make ahead recipe. Make them up to 2 days before you plan to serve them. Make the whipped cream just before serving, however, for freshness.
Special Tools:
- 9×9 Pan – A good ceramic 9×9 pan is invaluable in any kitchen!
- Electric Mixer – This is the mixer I’ve used and loved for years.
- Five Farms Irish Cream – Use their store locator to find your nearest retailer!
More Pumpkin Recipes to Love:
- Pumpkin Pasties with Maple Glaze
- Pumpkin Cake with Salted Caramel & Candied Pecans
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with Rum Caramel
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
More Cheesecake Recipes to Love this Fall Season:
- Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
- Mini No-Bake Apple Pie Cheesecakes
- Peach Cobbler Cheesecake
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Mini S’mores Cheesecakes
- Classic Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce
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Irish Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust
- one 5.25 ounce package ginger thin cookies about 150 grams
- 5 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup Five Farms Irish Cream, at room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp allspice
For the Whipped Cream
- 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp Five Farms Irish Cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of nutmeg optional but delicious
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Spray a 9×9 ceramic or glass baking dish with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- Make & Bake the Crust: Add gingersnap cookies to a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs. Melt the butter in a small bowl and stir in the cookie crumbs and sugar. The mixture will be sandy and a little wet. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 9 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside.
- Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter: Make sure your cold items have been brought to room temperature first! (See recipe notes below). Add the cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on high speed, until creamy, 1 minute or so. Add the sugar and mix until well combined. Add the eggs, two at a time, and beat on medium speed until just combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions to catch any lumps of cream cheese. Do NOT over mix them! Add the Five Farms Irish Cream, pumpkin, vanilla, and spices and mix until everything is just combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is combined.
- Bake the Cheesecake Bars: Pour pumpkin filling into your pre baked crust and bake for 38-42 minutes. The edges will appear set, and the center will have a slight jiggle. A toothpick inserted will pull out some thick batter. Let the bars cool on a wire rack at room temperature until no longer warm, then chill in the fridge at least 3 hours.
- Make Whipped Cream: Make this just before serving. In a large bowl, beat together the cold heavy cream, irish cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Don't over mix.
- Serve + Store: Slice and serve your chilled cheesecake bars with the irish cream whipped cream. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-6 days. Make-Ahead Tips: Cheesecake bars can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
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