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Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: Easy Fall Dessert

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These salted caramel pumpkin cheesecake bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, creamy cheesecake, spiced pumpkin, and a salted caramel swirl. They’re the perfect easy fall dessert that delivers real pumpkin flavor and a silky texture.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
  • ¼ cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
  • Additional flaky sea salt for topping
  • Whipped cream for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides.
  2. Prepare the crust: In a medium bowl, combine 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cut in ½ cup cold cubed butter until mixture resembles coarse sand. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes until edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack.
  3. Make the cheesecake layer: In a large bowl, beat 16 oz softened cream cheese until smooth. Add ½ cup sugar and beat until incorporated. Add 2 eggs one at a time, beating on low after each. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons flour until just combined. Set aside.
  4. Make the pumpkin layer: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt until smooth.
  5. Assemble: Spread cheesecake mixture over cooled crust. Drop spoonfuls of pumpkin mixture on top. Gently swirl with a knife to create ribbons.
  6. Make the salted caramel: In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook ½ cup sugar, stirring constantly, until deep amber (6-8 minutes). Remove from heat, add 3 tablespoons cubed butter (careful of bubbling), then stir in ¼ cup heavy cream and ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt. Let cool 5 minutes.
  7. Drizzle half the caramel over the bars and gently swirl. Reserve remaining caramel.
  8. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes until edges are set but center jiggles slightly. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
  9. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour), then refrigerate uncovered for at least 3 hours or overnight.
  10. After chilling, drizzle remaining caramel on top and sprinkle with additional flaky sea salt. Lift bars out using parchment, slice into 16 squares, and serve chilled.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are crucial for a smooth batter. Don’t overmix the cheesecake to avoid cracks. The bars need at least 3 hours of chilling for clean slices. Caramel can be made up to a week ahead and stored in the fridge.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cheesecake bars, salted caramel, fall dessert, easy cheesecake bars, pumpkin dessert, shortbread crust

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