Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars - Keto and Vegan Friendly 🥧

Do you want to enjoy a yummy dessert while maintaining your keto diet? Introducing the amazing Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars! It is a mouthwatering dessert that will keep you on track with your low-carb lifestyle. Indulge in these delicious and healthy bars that will satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your goals. Go ahead and treat yourself to a slice of yumminess!

Preparation and cooking overview

Satisfy your sweet tooth with delicious Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. Turn up the heat and simmer that caramel until it's lusciously thick! Then, blend the pumpkin layer to creamy perfection. Pour it onto the crust, pop it in the oven for an hour, and let it cool. Drizzle caramel sauce, sprinkle pecans, freeze for 4 hours, slice, and enjoy a heavenly treat. The 6-hour and 20-minute wait is worth it for this pure dessert indulgence!

These pumpkin cheesecake bars have three delicious layers:

1. Caramel layer - this is based on the caramel in our Keto Magic Bars.
2. Crust layer - graham cracker crust but gluten-free and low-carb using Bob's Red Mill's Super-Fine Almond Flour!
3. Pumpkin layer - creamy deliciousness, made with either fresh cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin. Make sure not to use pumpkin pie filling as it is very high in sugar.

Chef's note

For an extra touch of decadence, try serving these pumpkin cheesecake bars with a dollop of keto whipped cream or a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. You can also customize the crust by adding a teaspoon of cocoa powder for a subtle chocolate twist.

For more inspiration check out our Dessert recipe.

🥧 Ingredients for this pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe

Caramel layer

Crust layer

Pumpkin layer

Ingredient substitutions

Additional ingredients

Cooking tools required

To make this Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars recipe, you will need the following tools:

Tools substitute options

How to make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: step-by-step guide

Cooking methods

Preparation steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Soak cashews and macadamia nuts in hot water for about 20 minutes to soften them.

Cooking instructions

Crust layer

1. In a medium bowl, mix almond flour, vegan butter or coconut oil, water, granulated sweetener, ground flaxseed, and a pinch of ground cloves and nutmeg until well combined.
2. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan, ensuring it forms a smooth and level layer.
3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes or until it is lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool.

Caramel layer

1. In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, vegan butter, Swerve Brown Erythritol, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
2. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and turns into a caramel-like consistency.
3. Stir in the chopped or crumbled pecans.
4. Pour the caramel mixture over the cooled crust, spreading it out evenly.

Pumpkin cheesecake layer

1. Drain and rinse the soaked nuts.
2. In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the coconut milk, pumpkin puree, macadamia nuts, cashews, granulated sweetener, chia seeds, flaxseed, lemon juice, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, ground ginger, and ground cardamom.
3. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
4. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the caramel layer, spreading it out evenly.
5. Bake the bars for 35 minutes or until the pumpkin layer is set.
6. Allow the bars to cool completely before refrigerating for at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. Cut into 16 equal-sized bars and serve chilled.

Chef's pro tip

Crust: Let the crust cool for 10-15 minutes to avoid sogginess. Bake until firm and golden for a perfect crunch.

Caramel layer and pumpkin layer: Use full-fat coconut milk in a can that contains guar gum. The texture of the milk with the gum works better than coconut milk which is just coconut + water. If the can of milk is separated, place the entire contents of the can in a blender and blend until smooth and both the water and cream portions of the can are combined.

These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are made in partnership with our friends at Bob's Red Mill. Thank you for supporting the brands that make CIK possible.

How to serve pumpkin cheesecake bars?

Cut the bars into smaller or larger pieces to suit your preferences. Serve the bars chilled with a drizzle of melted vegan chocolate or vegan caramel sauce for added indulgence.

How to make it healthier

Time-saving tips

What can I prepare ahead of time?

Storage and reheating instructions

Storage instructions

Reheating instructions

Recipe wrap-up and conclusion

What's better than cheesecake? Not much, in our opinion! These Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are a delightful and indulgent treat that combines the comforting flavors of pumpkin, caramel, and a nutty crust.

One of our favorite creations so far are these keto pumpkin cheesecake bars that are not only low-carb but free from dairy and eggs, making them completely vegan. So, why not indulge in this scrumptious treat? Give in to your sweet cravings and experience the delightful magic of pumpkin! Trust us; you won't regret it.

Frequently asked questions

📖 Recipe

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

These easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are low-carb, gluten-free, sugar-free, and plant-based! These make a great allergen-friendly dessert that everyone can enjoy.

5 from 3 votes

Print Rate Pin Recipe

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: keto cheesecake

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Chill: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 6 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 259kcal

Ingredients

Caramel Layer

• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
• ⅓ cup vegan butter
• ½ cup Swerve Brown Erythritol
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt
• ½ cup chopped or crumbled pecans

Crust Layer

• 1.5 cups Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
• ¼ cup vegan butter or coconut oil very soft or melted
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons granulated sweetener
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• Pinch of ground cloves and nutmeg

Pumpkin Layer

• 1.25 cups full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup macadamia nuts
• ½ cup cashews
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated keto sweetener
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or more if you’d like
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Crust Layer:

• Preheat oven to 325° F. In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water, let it rest for 5 minutes so it forms a gel-like consistency.
• In a larger bowl, combine the butter, almond flour, sweetener, flax mixture, and spices until a soft dough forms.
• Spray a 10-inch cast iron pan with cooking spray. Press the almond flour dough into the pan in a uniform layer. Prick a few holes in it with a fork. Place the pan in the oven and allow it to bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the crust to cool.

Caramel Layer:

• Place all of the ingredients in a small cast-iron pot or pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens into a caramel sauce consistency. Remove from heat and let cool.

Pumpkin Layer:

• Place the macadamia nuts and cashews in a heat safe bowl. Cover with boiling water and let them soften for about 30 minutes.
• Once the nuts have softened, drain them and place them in a high speed blender with about ⅔ of the coconut milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Blend for 30-45 seconds or until very smooth, then pour the mixture into a bowl.
• To the blender, add the remaining coconut milk, pumpkin puree, sweetener, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and spices. Blend until smooth and the flaxseed and chia seeds have been pulverized. Pour this mixture into the same bowl and mix together with a spoon or whisk until well incorporated. Taste and add more spices if desired, or liquid monkfruit or stevia drops if you’d like a sweeter filling. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill while you make the other parts of the bar.

Assemble:

• Once the crust has had 10-15 minutes to cool, pour the pumpkin mixture on top of it and spread it out with a spatula so it is level. Place the pan in the oven and allow it to bake for 55-60 minutes at 325° F. When it is done, the top should be springy but fairly firm and still flat. Try to remove the pan from the oven before the filling puffs up, which usually happens around the 60 minute mark. Allow the pan to fully cool.
• Once the bars have cooled and the caramel is no longer hot (but still pourable), pour the caramel all over the pumpkin layer in the pan. You can fully cover the bars or drizzle the caramel all over. Sprinkle the crumbled pecans all over the top. Immediately place the whole pan into the freezer and allow it to chill for at least 4 hours.
• Remove the pan from the freezer and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing into squares. Use a spatula to carefully remove the sections from the pan to serve.

Notes

Please read the post above for helpful tips and notes about this recipe

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Amount Per Serving

Calories 259 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 4g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Sodium 58mg3%

Potassium 167mg5%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 2566IU51%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 54mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

*

Nutritional values are estimates only and do not include carbs from sugar alcohols.

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