This post was sponsored by Truvia® sweetener.
All thoughts and ideas are my own.
These Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with a delicious oatmeal crust are the perfect addition to any holiday spread!
While some people in my family like pumpkin pie, most do not… so we’ve always done cheesecake instead! These layered, gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake bars are perfect to make the day before any big holiday meal.
My favorite thing about these gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake bars
I’m always striving to figure out ways to make the perfect desserts and these gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake bars are no exception! And while the cheesecake and streusel topping are nothing short of delicious, it’s the oatmeal crust that brings me the most joy! Super easy to make and you just press it into the bottom of your pan.
How to make pumpkin cheesecake bars with streusel topping
These pumpkin cheesecake bars are made up of FOUR layers:
- Oatmeal crust
- Plain cheesecake
- Pumpkin cheesecake
- Oatmeal pecan streusel topping
Each of the four layers uses Truvia® Sweet Complete™ All-Purpose Sweetener to sweeten things up with zero calories per serving.
Truvia® Sweet Complete™ is an all-purpose, granulated stevia sweetener that bakes, browns, sweetens and measures like sugar in recipes. I’ve loved baking with it because I can sweeten the baked goods I love without having to mess with complicated conversions or compromise on taste! All you have to do is replace the sugar in your recipes with Truvia® Sweet CompleteTM exactly as the recipe calls for, whether it’s by the pinch, tablespoon or cup. (Not to mention it’s also gluten-free!)
How to make oatmeal crust for cheesecake
Add the almond flour, oats, Truvia® Sweet Complete™, and cinnamon to your food processor or high-powered blender and process until a powder forms. About 30-45 seconds.
Then, transfer the almond flour/oat mixture to a bowl and add the melted butter. Mix everything together with a rubber spatula (you may need to use your hands at the end) until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Press the crust mixture into the bottom of your 9×13 pan, and set the pan aside. (There’s no need to grease the pan since there’s butter in the crust.)
Why use an oatmeal cheesecake crust and streusel topping
Using oats in both our crust and our streusel topping adds fiber and texture variety to these gluten free pumpkin cheesecake bars. Never underestimate the importance of texture, it adds an element of enjoyment that you don’t get in an average cheesecake recipe!
To make the two cheesecake layers:
Using the whisk attachment of a stand or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, eggs, yogurt, and extracts until fully combined.
Add in the Truvia® Sweet Complete™ and mix until combined.
Pour half of the batter on top of your crust. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
While the pan is chilling, add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to the second half of the cheesecake filling still in your mixing bowl. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
To make the streusel:
Add all of the streusel ingredients except for the butter (pecan halves, vanilla extract, almond extract, Truvia® Sweet Complete™, oats, pumpkin pie spice, and salt) to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 4-5 times. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the streusel resembles chunky sand.
Bake the pumpkin cheesecake bars:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Remove the cheesecake pan from the freezer. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling on top of the plain cheesecake filling. Make sure to spread the filling to cover the entire pan.
Bake the gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake bars for 60 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven (very carefully), and add the streusel topping to the bars making sure to cover the entire pan.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until set, but it still jiggles slightly.
Remove the pan from oven.
Do cheesecake bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes, they do! But first you have to let the cheesecake cool to room temperature completely, otherwise the bars will crack big time and slicing them will be difficult.
Once you pull the pan out of the oven, let the cheesecake bars cool completely to room temperature (this takes about 3 hours). Once cooled, place in your refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours.
Once chilled, remove the pan from the refrigerator and cut into bars!
Can I freeze the pumpkin cheesecake bars?
Again, yes you can! If you would like to freeze your gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake bars, place the cut bars in your freezer in a single layer and allow them to freeze completely, then transfer the bars to a sealed container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Oatmeal Crust
Ingredients
Crust ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups almond flour
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free rolled oats**
- ¼ cup Truvia® Sweet Complete™ All-Purpose Sweetener
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake layers ingredients
- 3 8oz. packages cream cheese
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 ½ cups plain 2% Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 ½ cups Truvia® Sweet Complete™ All-Purpose Sweetener
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Streusel topping ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw pecan halves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- ⅔ cup Truvia® Sweet Complete™ All-Purpose Sweetener
- 1 ½ cups gluten free rolled oats
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Add the almond flour, oats, Truvia® Sweet Complete™, and cinnamon to a food processor or high-powered blender and process until a powder forms.
- Combine the almond flour/oat mixture and the melted butter in a bowl and mix together with a rubber spatula (you may need to use your hands at the end) until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom of your pan. Set aside.
To make the filling:
- Have all of your ingredients at room temperature.
- Using the whisk attachment of a stand or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, eggs, yogurt, and extracts until fully combined.
- Add in the Truvia® Sweet Complete™ and mix until combined.
- Pour half of the batter on top of your crust. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- While the pan is chilling, add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to the second half of the cheesecake filling still in your mixing bowl. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
To make the streusel:
- Add all of the streusel ingredients except for the butter (pecan halves, vanilla extract, almond extract, Truvia® Sweet Complete™, oats, pumpkin pie spice, and salt) to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 4-5 times. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the streusel resembles chunky sand.
Prep the pan for baking:
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Remove the cheesecake pan from the freezer. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling on top of the plain cheesecake filling. Make sure to spread the filling to cover the entire pan.
Bake the cheesecake bars:
- Bake the gluten free pumpkin cheesecake bars for 60 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven (very carefully), and add the streusel topping to the bars making sure to cover the entire pan.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until set, but it still jiggles slightly.
- Remove the pan from oven.
Chill the cheesecake bars:
- Let the cheesecake bars cool completely to room temperature. Once cooled, place in your refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours.
- Once chilled, remove the pan from the refrigerator and cut into bars!
Storage:
- If you would like to freeze your bars, place the cut bars in your freezer in a single layer and allow to freeze completely, then transfer to a sealed container. Gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake bars will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
