High-Protein Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
These High-Protein Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are creamy, cozy, and packed with fall flavor all while giving you a protein boost. Made with pumpkin puree, cream cheese, vanilla protein powder, and warm spices, they taste indulgent but are secretly healthy. Perfect for meal prep, snacks, or even dessert.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Spatula
- 8x8 baking pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Crust Layer:
- 1 cup oat flour (or blend rolled oats into flour)
- 1 scoop (30g) vanilla protein powder
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (or sugar-free syrup)
- pinch of cinnamon
Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer:
- 8 oz light cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup Greek yogurt (plain, nonfat or 2%)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 2 scoop (60g) vanilla protein powder
- ¼ cup maple syrup (or sugar-free syrup)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Toppings:
- crushed pecans
- Sugar free caramel drizzle
- Dark chocolate chips
Instructions
Prep your pan
- Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
Make the crust
- In a bowl, mix oat flour, protein powder, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Stir until crumbly but pressable. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the lined pan.
Whip the cheesecake layer
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, protein powder, maple syrup, egg, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix until creamy and fully combined.
Assemble
- Pour cheesecake batter over the crust. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake
- Bake for 35 minutes or until edges are set and center slightly jiggles. Don’t overbake!
Cool & Chill
- Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate at least 2 hours (overnight is best) before slicing.
Serve & Enjoy
- Slice into 12 bars. Add optional toppings before serving.
Notes
- If you want these Pumpkin Cheesecake Protein Bars to be extra fudgy, don’t overbake them. They should look slightly soft in the center when you pull them out; they’ll firm up as they cool
- I used vanilla whey protein because it balances the creaminess of the cheesecake layer and makes the bars taste dessert-like. If you only have unflavored protein, add an extra splash of vanilla extract.
- Chocolate chips are optional but let’s be honest, they make these bars feel extra cozy. I love using mini dark chocolate chips because they melt into little puddles with every bite.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, swap the cream cheese for a dairy-free cream cheese alternative and use a plant-based protein powder.