I don’t remember a single Thanksgiving holiday without a giant slice of Mom’s homemade pumpkin pie. With a dollop of whipped topping, digging into that fat slice is always the best part of the day—no matter how stuffed I am. These creamy pumpkin bars are my take on Mom’s classic. They’re not overly sweet, so all you taste is pure pumpkin and its complementary spices. The cream cheese provides structure to the bars, but doesn’t overpower the pumpkin flavor at all. In fact, my taste testers didn’t even notice it!
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1½ cups (135g) Graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tbsp butter, melted
- 0.33 cup (65g) granulated sugar
Pumpkin Filling
- 8 oz (225g) full-fat cream cheese
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup (285g) pumpkin purée
- 0.33 cup (80g) Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt, plain or vanilla)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- whipped cream for topping (optional)
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 in or 9 x 9 in baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside. Make the crust
- Mix the Graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl until combined. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. The crust will be thick. Bake the crust for 10 minutes as you prepare the filling. Make the filling
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together in a large bowl on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. On low speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla, pumpkin, yogurt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Beat until everything is combined and creamy. Pour the filling into the warm crust.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the bars with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too brown. The bars are done when the edges are lightly brown and the center is set. Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Lift the foil out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into squares. The bars will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days.
