Every year, I look forward to Thanksgiving more than any other day of the year, even compared to my birthday or Christmas. As the holiday where it’s perfectly acceptable—encouraged, even!—to spend all day in the kitchen cooking and baking cozy, flavorful dishes to share with loved ones, Thanksgiving creates warm fuzzy feelings in my heart and brings peace and joy to my soul.
My dad is usually the one in charge of our feast’s menu, and I volunteer as the “sous chef” to help him with whatever vegetable chopping, pot stirring, sausage browning, potato mashing, dough kneading, thermometer finding, and dish washing that he needs. Since we’re both borderline workaholics and put in 50-60 hours a week at our respective jobs, I always feel really lucky to spend that much time in the kitchen with him, doing something that we both love.
Throughout my childhood, we always made the same dishes year after year after year. Turkey cooked on the Webber, sans gravy (almost nobody in my family enjoys it!), Great-Grandma’s cranberry salad with oranges and pecans, green bean casserole with fried onions, sweet potato casserole with green apples and toasted marshmallows, Great-Grandma’s sausage stuffing with plenty of pecans and celery, Dad’s whole wheat rolls from the recipe he created in graduate school, classic mashed potatoes, Great-Grandma’s pecan pie with lots of extra nuts, and Libby’s pumpkin pie with a side of whipped cream.
Whew!
Tradition is very important to many members of our family, so it wasn’t until I reached my senior year in high school that we began tweaking the menu. We never modified or replaced any of Great-Grandma’s recipes—those were classics and the family would mutiny!—but Mom and I started out slowly by swapping sautéed green beans for the casserole, a healthier maple sweet potato casserole for the 1950’s recipe, and eventually roasted Brussels sprouts and a spinach salad for the green beans.
In college, I asked if I could play around with the pumpkin pie recipe, and my parents hesitantly agreed, under the condition that I would never tweak their favorite pecan pie. I tried a gingersnap crust, which disappeared twice as fast as the usually Libby’s recipe; adding a layer of melted dark chocolate, which everyone but one grandmother adored (we’re a family of chocoholics, after all!); and even a crustless version.
However, the one year that I suggested omitting the pumpkin pie altogether in favor of a pumpkin cheesecake, my parents immediately offered that we could have two pumpkin desserts instead. Apparently, different versions of pie were okay—but not entirely different pumpkin desserts!
So this year when I started craving fall-flavored cheesecake, I made these Healthy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars well in advance of Thanksgiving instead. (I already promised my parents that I’d make this insanely good pie!) But with their creamy texture and cozy spices, these cheesecake bars still made my parents think twice about their Thanksgiving desserts!
Even better? These sweet cheesecake bars are entirely clean eating friendly! No refined, artificial, or crazy stuff in these… Just good, wholesome, healthier ingredients.
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS
They start with the crust. Instead of graham crackers, you’ll use brown rice cereal as the base. I know, I know… It sounds strange, but it works! Pulse the cereal into crumbs in your food processor or blender, and mix them with melted butter and milk. They actually start to smell really comforting in the bowl, before you even press the crust into the pan to bake!
Because the cereal is more absorbent than graham crackers, you’ll bake the crust for a lot longer than usual. Use your best judgment, and if the crust still feels wet to the touch, you can let it bake a little longer. Mine finished at around 20 minutes, but if you prefer a crunchier crust, leave it in the oven for a few more minutes.
The base of the cheesecake filling is a combination of Greek yogurt and Greek yogurt cream cheese. Greek yogurt cream cheese has fewer calories and more protein than regular cream cheese, but it still has the same iconic taste. I found mine at Safeway (their own Lucerne brand), and some Walmart stores carry the Greek Mountain Farms brand, too. Remember to buy the brick-style block, not the tub!
Note: If you can’t find Greek yogurt cream cheese, substitute Neufchâtel cream cheese (⅓-less fat) instead.
The cheesecake is sweetened with one of my new favorite products: liquid stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly. It’s a much more concentrated sweetness compared to regular sugar, so a little goes a long way! I love this one because it has a lovely sweet flavor, and I don’t notice any strange aftertaste. I’ve found it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but it seems like it’s the cheapest online. (← That’s the best price I’ve found, and you’ll use liquid stevia in all of these recipes of mine too!!)
And of course… You can’t have pumpkin cheesecake bars without the pumpkin! You’ll need regular ol’ pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The latter contains refined sugar, which we’re avoiding in this healthier recipe! To round out the cozy fall flavors, you’ll also mix in the best trio of spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Like with regular cheesecake, you’ll bake these bars low and slow at 300°F. However, they bake much faster than traditional larger round ones, and they’re done after just 20 minutes! It’s really important to let them cool completely before covering them with plastic wrap and chilling for 3 hours. The chilling allows the bars to set, which creates the best texture, as well as gives the spice flavors time to meld.
Now who’s ready for dessert?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy pumpkin cheesecake bars!
Healthy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST
- 2 ½ cups (75g) brown rice cereal
- 2 tbsp (26g) Truvia
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter, melted
- 5 tbsp (75mL) nonfat milk, room temperature
FOR THE FILLING
- 1 (8oz) block Greek yogurt cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (240g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup (183g) pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie mix!)
- ¾ tsp liquid stevia
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, and coat an 8”-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the crust, add the cereal to a food processor or blender, and pulse until the cereal turns into fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the Truvia. Mix in the butter and milk until all of the cereal mixture is completely incorporated. Gently press the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 300°F for 18-21 minutes or until it feels dry to the touch. Cool completely to room temperature.
- To prepare the filling, beat the cream cheese and Greek yogurt in a medium bowl until smooth. Mix in the pumpkin purée and stevia. Mix in the egg white, stopping when just incorporated. Mix in the cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla until just incorporated.
- Spread the filling on top of the cooled crust. Bake at 300°F for 18-22 minutes or until the center barely jiggles when the pan is gently shaken. Cool completely to room temperature in the pan before covering with plastic wrap, ensuring that the plastic wrap completely touches the tops of the cheesecake bars. Chill for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
Thank you for the nice recipes.
My pleasure Liz! 🙂
Pumpkin and cheesecake, two of my favorite things. These look so good!
Thanks Courtney!
These pumpkin cheesecake bars look incredibly scrumptious, Amy! It’s hard to believe you make all these delicious desserts skinny! 🙂
Thanks Marsha! 🙂
Ohhh man, I just want to dive into these face first. SO rich and creamy.
That sounds like bliss Brittany! 😉
These LOOK delicious! I just wanted to ask if they are at all tart? I have been experimenting pre-holiday. First, I made a pumpkin cheesecake with just Greek yogurt. It was a good low-cal alternative, but even with added sugar, too tangy. I am glad you included the link for Greek cream cheese – I’m surprised it only saves 80 calories to the 1/3 less fat bar! Is the flavor different?
Next, I made a muffin cup version using Greek yogurt and 1/3 less fat cream cheese. IT was yummy, but still not the same texture to hide it’s healthy side (BUT it had a pumpkin butter swirl instead of being “pumpkin cheesecake”). And I do not recall the ratios used.
However, my last try had a combo of cottage cheese and Greek yogurt with pumpkin (with 1 T. of lemon juice and heavy spices) – 71 calories for each of NINE pieces in an 8″x8″ pan (w/o crust that is). And it was indistinguishable in texture and taste from true cream cheese made cheesecake! Only ONE recipe like that on entire internet, so you should use your skills and perfect it in full-size. And other flavors!
I do have a couple 8oz cream cheeses in fridge awaiting a recipe, so yours will be next. I don’t think my family would accept a completely faux cheesecake yet… 🙂
It sounds like you’ve been doing lots of testing! This recipe is mostly sweet, with just a very subtle hint of tang from the Greek yogurt, like with many cheesecake recipes. 🙂 I hope you and your family enjoy the cheesecake bars Shawna!
These look absolutely amazing! I have two cans of pumpkin and trying to figure out what to do with them! Although there are quite a few things I want to experiment with – like pumpkin maple granola!! I discovered my love for homemade granola the other day when I made my first batch EVER!
Also what app or website do you use to calculate your nutritional information for each of your recipes?
XO
Thanks Katerina! That’s wonderful about your first batch of homemade granola; it’s always so rewarding to make. I answer that question on my FAQ page here, but this is what I use. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the cheesecake bars if you try them!
Hi Amy. I love your recipes. Thank you. We are traveling for Thanksgiving this year. How many days ahead can I make these so they will taste fresh on the big day. I will be able to keep them cold while driving..
Thank you for your kind words Donna! The cheesecake bars can be made up to a week in advance, and they’ll stay fresh as long as you seal them inside of an airtight container and refrigerate them. I hope you enjoy the bars, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Hi Amy,
So I thought I bought the vanilla crème stevia..instead i bought this “sweet leaf-sweet drops vanilla “. I looks the same as your link but not with creme. Is there anyway I can use this? The only other sweeter I have is Truvia.
Thanks
Stacey
Sorry, not sure if that comment made sense. The bottle i bought looks exactly like your link for the vanilla crème stevia, but the word “creme” isn’t on the bottle, it just says “vanilla”. I can send a photo if you want? I tried looking it up online to send a link. But the only images that come up are the vanilla creme stevia.
That’s perfectly fine Stacey!! 🙂 I hope you enjoy the cheesecake bars!
Awesome..soo I assume I use as directed in your recipe 3/4 tsp?…I’m pretty excited to try these…thanks soo much.
Stacey
Yes, follow the recipe as written and the cheesecake bars should turn out just fine. I’m excited to hear what you think of them Stacey! 🙂
Made them last night!!! They are amazing!!! I love all your website…I’ve started looking through your Christmas recipes for ideas for a work Christmas cookie/sweet exchange…I always try to bake on the healthier side!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cheesecake bars Stacey, and thank you for your kind words about my recipes! I’m touched. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you try for your Christmas treat exchange at work!
These look so divine that I’m debating whether to make them for Thanksgiving in a couple of days. My only hesitation is that I don’t have or use stevia, so I’m wondering just how different they would bake/taste with sugar as a replacement. I know you have yet to test it either, but would you suggest white or brown sugar – or a combination of the two? I might add an entire egg as well, just to make them a little more firm as they *look* pretty soft.
Let me know if you have any other advice for a first time pumpkin cheesecake maker!
Thanks Courtney! The bars will firm up just fine without a whole egg, just like with the pumpkin pie bars you saw earlier. If you’re afraid of them being too soft, I’d actually add extra cornstarch; it thickens baked goods much more efficiently than an egg yolk. Stick with granulated sugar instead of brown for these. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake bars!
Thanks for all the tips, I can’t wait to make them! Now comes my next question: being completely honest, do you like these best or your earlier pumpkin pie bars?
My pleasure Courtney! I’m really indecisive (especially when it comes to pumpkin!), but… I’ve always been more of a pie than cheesecake person. You can’t go wrong with either though! 😉 Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Amy,
I made these last night and they did NOT turn out well. The crust never fully dried out in the oven, even after leaving them in for 35 minutes. I used almond milk. The crust also has hardly any flavor. The cheesecake portion tastes mostly like Greek yogurt. Disappointed 🙁
That sounds frustrating Tessa. That’s not how the cheesecake bars are supposed to turn out, so did you make any substitutions, by chance?