These Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars have a classic pumpkin pie flavor, smooth and creamy texture, baked in a sweet buttery crust. They’re the perfect sugar-free holiday treat!

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic pumpkin pie flavor
• Creamy cheesecake texture
• Sweet buttery gluten-free crust
• Make the perfect sugar-free holiday treat
• Kid friendly

If you’re looking for a sweet pumpkin indulgence that won’t knock you out of ketosis, you’ve come to the right place! It all starts with a buttery crust, a layer of creamy vanilla cheesecake and topped with a pumpkin cheesecake layer.

I recently updated this recipe creating separate layers for the vanilla and pumpkin flavors, which really allows both to stand out more. It’s also much more visually appealing and we all know that we eat with our eyes first!

These low carb pumpkin bars are not only great during the fall months, but since the ingredients are available year round, you don’t have to wait for fall to enjoy them! The same is true for these Keto Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse and Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Cups!

🛒 Ingredients for Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

• Super fine almond flour
• Butter
• Eggs
• Cream Cheese
• Pumpkin Puree
• Sour Cream
• Monk fruit/allulose
• Vanilla extract
• Vanilla bean paste
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Ground cinnamon
• Salt
• Optional: whip cream for the topping

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Mixing bowls
• Hand mixer
• 8 x 8 casserole baking dish
• Offset spatula
• Food processor
• Parchment paper

🔪 How to Make Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

To Make the Gluten-Free Crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Add all of the crust ingredients into the bowl of a food processor.

Blend until the dough comes together.

Press the dough out in your 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper. The dough will be sticky, so you can wet your hands to make it easier. Bake for 10 minutes, while you mix up the cheesecake and pumpkin layers.

To Make the Cheesecake Layer

Add the cream cheese and sour cream in a mixing bowl and whip up using a hand mixer.

Mix in the egg, sweetener and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Set aside, while the crust cools and you make the pumpkin layer.

To Make the Pumpkin Layer

Add the cream cheese and pumpkin puree in a mixing bowl and whip up using a hand mixer.

Mix in the egg, sweetener and vanilla and mix until well combined.

To Assemble the Cheesecake Bars

Pour the cheesecake layer batter over the cooled crust and smooth the top using an offset spatula

Pour the pumpkin layer over the cheesecake layer, and gently smooth the top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until there is only a slight jiggle in the center. Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill in the fridge to fully set for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Once fully set, cut into squares and top with (optional) whip cream and serve.

💡 Tips

• Always use full fat cream cheese. It’s all about quality ingredients when you’re making a Keto cheesecake recipe. Low fat cream cheese has fillers that can cause a cheesecake to very easily flop. The more fat, the creamier the cheesecake will be.

• Use room temperature cream cheese to prevent lumpy cheesecake bars.

• Don’t skip the sour cream. Not only does the tanginess of sour cream balance out the flavor of cream cheese, it helps add a smoother texture.  

• Don’t over mix the batter, otherwise air pockets can form, which will not only make your Keto cheesecake bars look unattractive when bubbles rise to the top during baking, the added air can cause them the crack.

• Don’t over bake them, this will help prevent cracking. These low carb cheesecake bars will still have a slight jiggle to them when they’re done, but the edges will be set.

• Make sure they are fully set to get nice clean slices. Then cut them with a sharp knife and wipe the knife clean between cuts.

• Put your leftover pumpkin puree to good use with these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Coffee Cake, Pumpkin Cupcakes and much more!

☑️ Storage Instructions

Store leftover pumpkin bars in an airtight container for several days in the fridge or freeze. If you’re planning to serve them with whip cream on top, I would wait to add it until they are thawed and ready to serve.

🍴 What to Serve with Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Enjoy a piping hot cup of Pumpkin Spiced Bulletproof Coffee or Cold Brew Coffee with these cheesecake bars.

🔄 Substitutions and Additions

• You can certainly substitute the vanilla bean paste with vanilla extract, but you won’t get the same intense vanilla flavor or the flecks of vanilla beans in the middle layer.
• For an additional topping idea, serve with whip cream, chopped roasted pecans and a dusting of ground cinnamon.
• For extra richness, drizzle this homemade salted caramel sauce over them just before serving.
• If you don’t have monk fruit/allulose, you can use all monk fruit or Swerve at a 1:1 ratio. Or you can use all allulose at 1/3 cup for the crust and 1/2 cup for each of the cheesecake layers.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

Are There Carbs in Pumpkin?

With only 3 net carbs in an 1/4 cup serving of pumpkin puree, it’s an excellent choice for your Keto recipes.

Is Pumpkin Keto?

Yes, indeed! Pumpkin is easily incorporated into any low-carb diet. But like with any fruit or vegetable, portion control is important. The good news is most recipes only call for about 1/2 cup of pumpkin for the entire recipe.

Pumpkin is also very nutritious. On top of being high in vitamins and minerals it’s considerably low in calories. It’s a great source of beta-carotene. To read all about the health benefits of pumpkin, check out this article.

How Many Carbs are in a Pumpkin Bar?

For this recipe, there are 12 servings, each having 5 net carbs.

Does Cheesecake Belong in a Keto Diet?

Absolutely. In fact,because cream cheese, being the main ingredient in cheesecake has only 1 carb per ounce, I have several other cheesecake recipes that are also Keto friendly. Be sure to check out my Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce, Blueberry Cheesecake Bars, Cheesecake Fluff and Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars!

🍽️ More Keto Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Cream Cheese Glaze
• Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cheesecake Frosting
• Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
• Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse
• Pumpkin Pie Fat Bombs

If you’d like to know more about baking on Keto, this article, Keto Baking Made Easy, is loaded with tips and info that you’ll find helpful. You might also check out my Keto Sweet Treats eBook that has 50 amazing Keto dessert recipes, all with color pics, macros and more! I’m offering it at 50% off when you subscribe to my free weekly emails here.

*Originally published on October 7, 2018, updated on August 22, 2023 with new photos, improvements to the recipe and helpful tips.