Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars - Keto and Vegan Friendly

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.

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.

What's better than cheesecake? Not much in our opinion! 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.

We love this easy pumpkin dessert for fall

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.

Wondering how to make your own pumpkin puree? Follow these steps:

1. First, wash your baking pumpkin with water and pat dry.
2. Preheat the oven to 400° F
3. Using a sharp knife, cut the pumpkin into quarters
4. Scoop out the seeds (save them to make roasted pumpkin seeds!)
5. Place the pumpkin cut-side down on the baking sheet and roast until the flesh is easily pierced with a fork, about 45-60 minutes
6. Scoop out the soft flesh and transfer to a blender, blend until smooth

Storage: You can store your homemade pumpkin puree in the freezer for up to one year or in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can also can the pumpkin puree for a shelf-stable option!

Ingredients in Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Since these bars are plant-based there are no dairy ingredients like sour cream or cream cheese. Don't worry though, these bars taste just like traditional cheesecake just made with plants. If you'd like to top them with some whip cream, be sure to use a coconut-based whipped topping to keep this dairy-free.

Caramel Layer 

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

Crust Layer

• 1 ½ 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 sweetener (allulose works great here)
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or more if you’d like)
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom

How to make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Crust Layer:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water and let it rest for 5 minutes so it forms a gel-like consistency.
2. In a larger bowl, combine the butter, almond flour, sweetener, flax mixture, and spices until a soft dough forms.
3. Spray a 10-inch cast-iron pan with a little oil - we use an avocado oil spray. Press the almond flour dough into the pan in a uniform layer to make a flat crust.
4. 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:

1. Place the coconut milk, butter, sweetener, vanilla and salt in a small cast-iron (or regular) saucepan or pot and bring it to a boil on the stovetop over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir frequently as the mixture bubbles and thickens. 
2. Once the mixture resembles a thick caramel sauce, remove it from the heat and set it aside.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer: 

1. Place the macadamia nuts and cashews in a heat-safe mug. Cover them with boiling water and let them soften for about 30 minutes.
2. 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 cheesecake batter mixture into a bowl.
3. 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.
4. 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.

*Note: if you have a very large blender, feel free to blend everything at once together.

Assemble:

1. 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 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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. Top with a dollop of coconut whipped cream. We recommend storing the bars in an air-tight container in the freezer.

Key notes about this recipe:

We recommend using full-fat coconut milk in a can that contains guar gum. The texture of the milk with the gum works better than coconut milks that are 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.

The filling can be made a day ahead of time if you’re in a time crunch. Just refrigerate the bowl once the filling is prepared and make the crust, caramel, and assemble the next day.

Store the bars in an air-tight container in the freezer. They may hold up okay in the fridge but we find they taste the best and stay firm in the freezer. Simply let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before eating.

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

Cook Time: 2 hours

Chill: 4 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 20 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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