Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Meet your new go-to fall dessert: creamy pumpkin cheesecake bars that taste even better the next day. They’re classic Tori Wesszer: the dietitian and recipe developer is known for her make-ahead meal plans at Fraîche Table, her blog Fraîche Living and cookbooks co-authored with cousin Jillian Harris. Her first solo cookbook, Fraiche and Simple: Easy Prep and Make-Ahead Recipes for Real Life, hit shelves September 15.

Makes 24 bars

These pumpkin cheesecake bars are dreamy, made with a blend of cashews, tofu, pumpkin puree and cream cheese for the perfect balance of indulgence and feel-good ingredients. These creamy bars get better with time, if you can resist (no judgement if you can’t!).

Be sure to buy unsweetened canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Either regular cream cheese or vegan cream cheese works in this recipe.

Base

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup butter, melted
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tbsp sugar
• Pinch of salt

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 container (225 g) cream cheese, room temperature
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 package (300 g) soft tofu, drained
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For Serving

• Chantilly cream or coconut whipped cream
• Cinnamon

Method

In a small bowl, pour boiling water over the cashews to cover them completely. Let soak for at least 15 minutes. Drain the cashews.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving extra overhang on the sides to make it easier to remove the bars.

Make the base: In a large bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and salt until combined. Transfer to the prepared pan. Using the bottom of a glass, firmly press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pumpkin cheesecake filling: In a high-speed blender, combine the drained cashews, pumpkin puree, cream cheese, maple syrup, tofu, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides once halfway through.

Pour the filling into the prepared crust and evenly spread with a rubber spatula. Firmly tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.

Bake until the edges are light golden brown and slightly pull away from the pan and the filling is set in the centre, about 1 hour. (If you give the pan a gentle shake back and forth, the filling shouldn’t jiggle.) Let the bars cool completely in the pan, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Cut into 24 bars.

When ready to serve, top the bars with a dollop of Chantilly cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Vegan Option

Use vegan graham crackers, vegan butter and vegan cream cheese. Top with coconut whipped cream.

Dairy-Free Option

Use vegan butter and vegan cream cheese. Top with coconut whipped cream.

Gluten-Free Option

Use gluten-free graham crackers.

READ MORE: 6 Delicious Thanksgiving Desserts (That Aren’t Pumpkin Pie)

Excerpted from Fraiche and Simple: Easy Prep and Make-Ahead Recipes for Real Life by Tori Wesszer. Copyright © 2026 Tori Wesszer. Photography by Rachelle Beatty. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.