Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts but usually something I’d rather buy than bake. But these pumpkin cheesecake bars are so easy and delicious, that I don’t mind whipping them up throughout fall. A bonus too that they are healthier so I don’t mind having a bar or two! The secret is the cheesecake layer is made with blended cottage cheese and Greek yogurt but I swear to you, you would never know it’s not cream cheese.
Jump to Recipe
It’s September so I am going to consider it fully fall and let the pumpkin and apple recipes roll. First up are these pumpkin cheesecake bars. The perfect dessert when you want the decadent cheesecake without the fuss. It’s a simple buttery graham cracker crust filled with pumpkin cheesecake. The twist is I use cottage cheese and Greek yogurt blended for the cheese layer. This makes it a high-protein dessert but still has that classic cheesecake consistency and flavor. Everyone who’s tasted them doesn’t believe they’re not made with cream cheese. Win!
Ingredients needed for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Graham crackers
- Melted butter
- Cottage cheese
- Greek yogurt
- Sugar
- Pumpkin puree
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
How to make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Crush the graham crackers and pour them into an 8×8 baking dish.
- Add melted butter and press firmly to make the crust.
- Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
- Blend the remaining liquid ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl and stir in flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour over the crust and bake for 1 hour.
- They need to set for several hours in the fridge or overnight. Cut into squares and enjoy. Store leftovers sealed in the fridge for 5 days.
Why we love this Cheesecake recipe…
- To start, who doesn’t love cheesecake?!
- It’s high in protein and lower in sugar making it a great choice for dessert.
- It bakes in a baking dish and you don’t need a fancy pan or water bath
- This recipe calls for simple ingredients and only a few steps to put it all together
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Tips & FAQ for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
I use regular graham crackers but you can use cinnamon or whatever you like. You can also add a couple of tbsp of sugar for the crust but I don’t find that necessary
Not at all. The combination of blending it and the other ingredients completely makes this taste like regular cheesecake. Just higher in protein and lower in fat!
I have only used non-fat and regular Greek yogurt. The consistency and tang of Greek yogurt is what I think works best. Report back if you try anything else!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars – High Protein
Ingredients
- 9 graham cracker sheets the full sheet, not each rectangle
- 6 tbsp melted butter
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Crush the graham crackers and pour them into an 8×8 baking dish. Add melted butter and press firmly to make the crust.
- Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
- Blend the remaining liquid ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl and stir in flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour over the crust and bake for 1 hour.
- They need to set for several hours in the fridge or overnight. Cut into squares and enjoy. Store leftovers sealed in the fridge for 5 days.
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