Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars (with Lotus Biscoff Biscuits)

These vegan pumpkin cheesecake bars are completed in 50-60 minutes and contain so many delicious flavors that you will want to savor every bite.

It is an amazing dessert to treat yourself to as we’re in the middle of Halloween baking season, and one that is best enjoyed when shared around a cozy group setting, such as with friends or family.  

One of the best features of this recipe is the delightful feeling your taste buds receive as they meet the ultimate fall flavors.

As the Biscoff lotus biscuits form its base, which is topped by a beautiful double layer of pumpkin and vegan cheesecake filling, you will be left picking up every crumb that fell from each piece.

What is a Pumpkin Cheesecake Bar?

A pumpkin cheesecake bar is essentially pumpkin cheesecake but bite-sized.

These yummy pieces come together with minimal prep time, combining a Biscoff lotus biscuit base, a luscious pumpkin and cream cheese filling, and last but not least, a sweet brown sugar crumble at the top, with flavors of pumpkin pie spice and walnut.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Thick Pumpkin Layer – The middle of these pumpkin cheesecake bars is made of a loaded and yummy bit of pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and vegan cheesecake, which form a layer of goodness that will leave you licking your fingers. 
• Smooth Texture – Except for the crumbly crust at the top of these treats, the pumpkin mixture and cheesecake batter that make up the texture of the bars are incredibly soft and creamy. 
• Delicious, Crowd-pleasing Holiday Dessert – These bars are so tasty and full of fall flavors that you won’t help but want to have it at your holiday table for Halloween every year. 

What Does Pumpkin Cheesecake Taste Like?

Pumpkin cheesecake bars have an intense yet satisfying amount of pumpkin flavor.

The taste is a glorious marriage of a cheesecake layer and creamy pumpkin pie, a culinary treat. Consider it a pumpkin cake with a subtle yet delicious cheesecake filling, if you will.

Is Pumpkin Cheesecake Healthy?

For the most part, pumpkin cheesecake is healthy, given that a typical cheesecake contains cheese, eggs, and sugar and so is high in protein. Still, cheesecake can also be high in calories, carbohydrates, and fat.

Because this vegan pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe doesn’t contain any sugar and has an alternative to sugar called erythritol instead, it is much healthier than your usual cheesecake.

This means that the recipe is healthy for you even if you’re on a low-calorie, low-carb diet.

The recipe contains fully vegan products, so it is suitable if you want a non-dairy cheesecake recipe.

Because the usual cheesecake can be high in calories, sugar, and fat, it’s important to limit cheesecake in your diet, as you would do with other desserts.

However, this recipe doesn’t include any sugar or dairy, which makes it a very healthy option compared to other recipes, so don’t hesitate to enjoy these pumpkin cheesecake bars as part of a balanced diet every now and then.  

What Are The Benefits Of Pumpkin Cheesecake?

Pumpkin cheesecake has a large amount of pumpkin, so its benefits will greatly depend on the benefits of pumpkin itself.

Pumpkin contains Vitamin A, which can improve your eyesight significantly, helping you see more clearly, especially in low-light conditions.

Another benefit of pumpkin is that it can boost your immunity as it consists of beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and folate. So the more pumpkin you eat, the more you help protect your immune cells from germs and fasten the healing process of your wounds.

Pumpkin contains a lot of potassium which can lower your risk of stroke, kidney stones, and type 2 diabetes, as well as improve your bone health.

In addition to all of that, pumpkin contains a large amount of fiber and is low in calories, meaning that you can feel full without having to eat more than your usual food intake in a given day.

If you’re looking for a healthy yet filling meal, adding pumpkin to your dish will help you achieve that. The fiber present in it also helps you improve your digestive health significantly.

Cheesecake as a whole can provide a few health benefits, specifically acting as a rich source of protein, as it contains cream cheese and eggs.

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients

• Biscoff lotus biscuits – These delicious biscuits form the base crust of your pumpkin cheesecake bars and give that caramelly, cinnamon flavor that will define both the taste and aftertaste of your bars. 
• Vegan butter – Including this in your base crust ingredients and your crumbly top will highlight the tenderness and structure of your cheesecake bars. 
• Vegan cheesecake – The flavor of this cake is sweet and tangy, and is what makes your bars become “cheesecake bars” as it gives them a cheesy texture.  
• Erythritol – This will add a sugary hint to your bars, but without having to encounter the risk of consuming sugar. 
• Cornstarch – Adding this to your cheesecake filling batter helps give your body energy much faster than you would attain from whole-grain carbs, and it is also a great ingredient to bear in mind if you’re on a gluten-free diet. 
• Canned pumpkin puree – This is packed with nutrients like potassium, vitamin A, and iron which are very beneficial to your health and are good to add to your diet. 
• Pumpkin pie spices – Including this in your recipe will give it the distinct taste of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, all of which will remind you of the Halloween season.   
• Walnuts – These contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are much healthier than saturated fats. They also have alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids, which may help protect you from inflammation. 
• Brown sugar – The best part about this type of sugar is that it aids you in losing weight since it contains much fewer calories than white sugar. It also boosts your energy and may even help relieve you from menstrual cramps. 
• Gluten-free flour – This helps build the structure for your cheesecake’s creamy batter, creating a much more elastic dough, and since it’s gluten-free, it’s very healthy to add to your recipe.  
• Salt – This helps strengthen your flour as it holds the water and gas much more efficiently, helping your dough expand without tearing. 
• Water – This acts as the solvent and dispersing agent for various ingredients such as salt, sugar, and yeast, determining the consistency of your crumble.

Tools Needed To Prepare Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars 

• 8×8 inch baking pan for pouring crumbly dough on and loading dish with parchment paper 
• Parchment paper for lining the baking pan  
• High-speed blender or food processor for creating a base crust, cheesecake filling, and crumbles
• Mixing bowls for storing mixed ingredients   
• Whisk for mixing ingredients   
• Sharp knife for trimming and dividing sides and maintaining a compact crust 

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Erythritol 

If you can’t find erythritol in your local store, you can give stevia a try. Different types of stevia are actually mixed with erythritol to create a sugar substitute. It has properties similar to erythritol, but it tastes sweeter.

Cornstarch 

Cornstarch is what will make your cheesecake bars crunchier, but if you can’t find it readily available in your go-to supermarket, you can switch it with rice flour.

Rice flour contains starch and is naturally gluten-free, making it a perfect substitute for cornstarch. If you can’t find rice flour either, you can opt for all-purpose flour or almond flour, both of which will do the job just as fine.   

Walnuts 

If you’re seeking an alternative to walnuts, consider pecans. The taste and texture of pecans are similar to walnuts as they are both tree nuts and so are related to each other.

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars (Step-by-Step)

Ingredients

Base crust

• Biscoff Lotus Biscuits: 1 pack (250g)
• Vegan butter, melted: 6 tbs (85g)

Cheesecake Filling

• Vegan cheesecake: 16 oz (454g)
• Erythritol: 1 cup (100g)
• Cornstarch: 3 tbs (30g)
• Pumpkin puree: 1 cup (160g)
• Pumpkin spice: 1 tsp

Crumble

• Walnuts: 1 cup (125g)
• Brown sugar: 1/3 cup (65g)
• Gluten-Free Flour: 1/2 cup (64g)
• Pumpkin spice: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1/4 tsp
• Vegan Butter, melted: 4 tbs (56g)
• Water: 1 tsp

Instructions

To prepare this super fun and delicious pumpkin cheesecake, start by gathering and measuring all the ingredients.

Base Crust:

STEP 1: First, with the help of a food processor, add the lotus biscuits, and run it until they you get biscuit crumbs.

STEP 2: Add melted butter and run the food processor until the crumbs are humid and form a dryish dough.

STEP 3: Next, preheat the oven to 180C or 356F for at least 5-8 minutes.

In the meantime, take a baking dish (8×8″ or 20x20cm) lined with parchment paper and pour the crumbly dough, making sure you press against the bottom and sides to make a firm biscuit.

STEP 4: Bake for at least 5-8 minutes or until golden brown.

Tip: To check if it is ready, gently press the surface. It has to be drier than before but not rock solid.
Note: Do not overcook; otherwise, it will be rock solid by the end.

Cheesecake Filling:

STEP 1: For the first cheesecake layer (white), add the erythritol, cornstarch, and cream cheese into a food processor and pulse until it forms a creamy mixture.

STEP 2: Now, take a cup of the creamy mixture, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin purée and mix them until it turns orange and fluffy.

STEP 3: Next, Slowly pour the creamy mixture (white) over the baked biscuit to form the first layer.

Tip: While pouring the creamy mixture, use a spatula to spread it out. Try to do it a bit at a time, starting from the corners.
Note: Do not pour the creamy mixture over a hot biscuit; otherwise, it will melt.

STEP 4: Repeat the same process with the second layer (pumpkin layer).pumpkin cheesecake bars ingredients

STEP 5: Now, bake at 350ºF (175ºC) for 30 minutes or until it becomes harder and drier.

Crumble:

STEP 1: To prepare the crumbs, add the walnuts and the brown sugar into the food processor and pulse to get some chunky walnuts but not dust.

STEP 2: Next, add the gluten-free flour, pumpkin spice, and salt. To finish, add the melted vegan butter and a teaspoon of water and pulse again until the crumbles form.

STEP 3: Once the 2nd layer is ready, pour the chunky crumbs on top and bake for another 20 minutes or until golden brown.

STEP 4: To finish, leave the cheesecake to rest at room temperature; Once it cools off, refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours before cutting.

STEP 5: Once refrigerated, remove the cheesecake from the baking dish. Trim the sides and divide each side into three parts. Cut each third to make bars. You should be able to get nine pieces.

STEP 6: Optional: Pour some caster sugar on top.

What To Serve With Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars 

Whipped cream is the perfect topping of choice or side to serve with your pumpkin cheesecake bars, as the incredibly sweet cream meets the cozy and candied flavors of your recipe.

But if the whipped cream isn’t your go-to topping, you could aim for other varieties, such as caramel sauce.

Your cream-filled cheesecake would be a wonderful pairing with a selection of fruits or a fruit salad.

From strawberries and mango to raspberries, apples, and bananas, you can pick any seasonal fruits, mix them together, and enjoy an elaborate side for your pumpkin cheesecake bars.  

Really good quality and sweet white wine, like a Riesling, is the perfect pairing with pumpkin cheesecake bars. It has a strong floral aroma that balances your cheesecake’s classic flavor.

Other unique combinations from the blog are:

• Vietnamese Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee
• Red Wine Bourbon Sangria Recipe (Must-Try)
• Easy Blackberry Basil Manischewitz Mojitos
• Try This Mixed Citrus Liqueur Recipe
• Copycat Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte

Tips About Making Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake

To see if your buttery crust mixture has cooked, gently press on the surface. You want it to be somewhere between soft and hard but not completely hard, as that may mean that you have an over-baked crust. 

When pouring the creamy mixture, make sure you’re using a spatula for a much smoother experience and result.

Before serving your pumpkin cheesecake bars, slowly remove the cheesecake from your pan by using a sharp knife along the sides of the cheesecake to release it from the mold.

How To Store Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars 

If your cheesecake is tightly covered, then you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just be sure to keep these cheesecake bars away from heat.

FAQ About Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars 

Conclusion

This pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe is one of the most intricate cheesecake bars recipes you can storm up in your kitchen this Halloween.

It is so easy to make and such a delicious snack that will have everyone at your party or gathering fall absolutely in love with it, especially if they are pumpkin lovers. 

It is one of the best pumpkin desserts to enjoy in the spooky season and one that will immensely satisfy you if you have an unending sweet tooth.

You can serve it with different sides, such as whipped cream, a fruit salad, or white wine, with each one being more suitable according to the people and type of gathering you’re presenting it to. 

The beautiful combination of Biscoff lotus biscuits, pumpkin, and vegan cheesecake will have you craving more and more of these pumpkin bars.

If you are feeling extra inspired and want to practice your artistic skills, you can consider making swirled pumpkin cheesecake bars instead, which are the same bars, except with a swirly top that immediately catches the eye.

So, give this creative and delicious vegan pumpkin cheesecake bar recipe a try. This recipe might become one of your favorite dessert recipes this Halloween and fall!