When you are craving all the flavors of fall in a sweet treat, these skinny pumpkin spice cheesecake bars are sure to please. With a graham cracker crust, these bars are packed with the flavors of pumpkin, maple syrup, cinnamon, and all of your favorite pumpkin spice flavors. These mini cheesecake bars are the perfect bite-sized sweet treat with no artificial sweeteners.
What makes these pumpkin spice cheesecake bars skinny?
These pumpkin spice cheesecake bars are made with all real ingredients, with a few lightened-up modifications: pumpkin puree is combined with reduced-fat cream cheese and plain non-fat Greek yogurt and egg whites to create the cheesecake base. Lots of spices are added to this mixture, which help create depth of flavor without a ton of calories or WW points: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and sugar all come together for a sweet, spiced flavor profile.
I use light butter here (this is the brand I use) combined with graham cracker crumbs to create the graham cracker crust as the base of these mini cheesecake bars.
I use real maple syrup and real sugar here; if you want to cut the calories and points even more, you can use sugar replacements and sugar-free syrup. But, these treats are already so low in calories and points that I suggest using the real thing here. Real sugar and maple syrup give a flavor to these treats that can’t be matched with artificial ingredients.
What will I need to make skinny pumpkin spice cheesecake bars?
Here is the ingredient list for these bars:
- graham cracker crumbs
- I use graham cracker crumbs that already come crushed in the box, but you can use graham crackers and crush them in a food processor if you wish.
- light butter
- I use the Land ‘O Lakes light butter with canola oil.
- This brand melts easily, like margarine, and has a good butter flavor.
- pumpkin puree
- Make sure you aren’t using pumpkin pie filling; these are two separate things.
- reduced fat cream cheese
- I use the Philadelphia 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese.
- plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- The use of yogurt here is to stretch out the the cream cheese; it has the same tangy flavor as cream cheese, and helps get the cheesecake to that thick, creamy consistency we love.
- sugar
- I use cane sugar, but regular granulated sugar works fine.
- maple syrup
- I use organic, real maple syrup here.
- egg whites
- ground cloves
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- vanilla extract
- kosher salt
- non-stick cooking spray
Note: These pumpkin spice cheesecake bars are made in a regular-sized muffin pan.
How to make skinny pumpkin spice cheesecake bars
Making the graham cracker crust
To begin, preheat your oven to 325F. Next, spray a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter to form the graham cracker crust. The mixture should resemble wet sand.
Place about 1 tablespoon of the crust mixture into each muffin opening; press the crust mixture into the bottom of each opening using your fingers to create a flat crust, and to cover the entire bottom of each opening.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes or until it is set up. Then, remove the muffin pan from the oven.
Making the cheesecake filling
Next, combine the cheesecake filling ingredients in a small bowl; if you wish, you can use an electric mixer to break down all of the ingredients.
Spray the muffin pan again, including the sides. Pour in about 1 heaping tablespoon of the cheesecake filling into each crust to create equal-sized portions.
Return the muffin pan to the oven for another 25 minutes or until the cheesecakes are firm.
Removing the cheesecakes and storage
Note: these can be difficult to remove from the pan without breaking. Make sure you allow the cheesecakes to cool completely before trying to remove them from the pan. Use a knife to cut around each muffin, and then gently release. This takes some time and patience, but I promise, it is worth it!
Store in the fridge covered for 3-5 days.
Skinny Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
- muffin tin
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 3 tablespoons light butter, melted, I use Land 'O Lakes with Canola Oil
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
Cheesecake Filling
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée, canned, not pumpkin pie filling
- 5 tablespoons reduced fat cream cheese
- 1/4 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons egg whites
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Spray a regular sized muffin tin with cooking spray, and preheat the oven to 325F.
- Melt the butter.
- Combine the melted butter and the graham cracker crumbs until it resembles wet sand.
- Place a tablespoon of the mixture into each muffin opening,
- Press down with your fingers to flatten the mixture, covering the bottom of each muffin opening to form a crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes to firm up. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, combine the cheesecake ingredients using a hand mixer.
- Spray the openings of the muffin tin again (including the sides) and pour a heaping tablespoon of filling into each muffin tin until evenly distributed.
- Bake at 325 for 25 minutes or until set up.
- Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.
- Use a knife to free each cheesecake from the muffin pan openings.
- Store in a covered container in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Try these other pumpkin recipes:
For breakfast: Pumpkin Spice Baked Oatmeal
Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
Another breakfast recipe: pumpkin spice pancake bake
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Absolute favorite! I’ve made this at least 4 times and my husband even loves it! Perfect bite sized treats!
Just made these! My crusts fell apart but I think I should have measured my butter more carefully. They taste amazing.
This was absolutely amazing and I can’t wait to make it for holiday parties!!
Two amazing things in one…I love ANYTHING pumpkin and anything cheesecake. That these are only 3 WW points each?? OMGosh!! It’s heaven. A little fat free reddi whip and it hits the spot. I was a little worried since the cheesecake batter is pretty watery but they set up perfectly. Another home run Steph!
These are so good, perfect size and don’t taste like a diet treat in any way. I have already made them 4 times! I found that baking them in the silicon muffin cups works wonderfully and they pop right out without spray!
I made these this evening. So simple and so delicious. Only 3 points for a sweet treat. Have enough ingredients left to make another batch or the pumpkin spice muffins.
These are delicious, unique, and so versatile! They can serve as dessert, a snack, or I like to break them up and put them in yogurt or oat bowls!
These are amazing!!!! I will definitely be making them again. The only thing is that when I click the link to track it comes out to 4 points instead of three. No big deal because now I know. I just wanted you to know.