Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Happy Monday! It’s finally Fall but you wouldn’t know that by the weather we’re having here in Minnesota. If you’re craving all the fall flavors, like pumpkin, and having unseasonably warm temps like we are in Minnesota these Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are for you! I’m finding it really hard to get into the fall season with the temps and while I want to bake all of the fall goodies I don’t want to turn the oven on with this heat and humidity. No need to turn the oven on to enjoy this delicious pumpkin treat, and they’re simple to make.

Maybe it’s the temps but the pumpkin bug didn’t bite early this year and I’m still not craving it like crazy. Other than these bars, which I’ve made 3 pans (Anyone want to help me eat the last pan I have in the freezer?), I’ve only made one other thing with pumpkin this year. Usually by mid August I’m craving and wanting everything pumpkin and it’s non stop pumpkin and apple from mid August until the end of November. So far I’m wanting all thing apple, and then honey, caramel, and cinnamon flavors. Just simple sweetness and warm spices. Although I’m not really craving sweets like usual other than apple crisp.

Cashew based (dairy free, vegan) cheesecakes like this one are favorites for get togethers as there are no nut allergies and family and friends love them. Although this one is still dairy free it is not vegan as the clusters used in the crust are made with honey, there is a substitution using a pecan crust from another recipe linked below. Also being gluten free, and grain-free, they’re a great treat that all our friends and family can enjoy! Don’t worry you don’t have to have an occasion or reason to make these. Whip them up and pull them from the freezer when you need a little treat. They seem to disappear. Not that you can, or would, eat multiple bars as they are really filling. Not like stuffed big filling but healthy fats and satisfying filling where you would be happy with just one.

The combo in these Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars cannot be beat! I love my sweet and salty combos and this is another one. Salted peanut chocolate crust made with my favorite topped with pumpkin cheesecake drizzled with chocolate peanut butter, it’s not overly sweet and perfectly balanced in each bite! They are quick to make, only requiring soaking time for the cashews and a few hours to set, otherwise they come together in minutes. They can also be made ahead. While I have a request already, and another dessert that I know will be a hit, these would be a great contender and option for Thanksgiving or any fall party or get together.

I felt like these bars were perfect for the first Meatless Monday of fall, and a little surprised I didn’t share a pumpkin recipe until after the first day of fall. If you’re looking for something a little more savory, or maybe a meal to have before enjoying one of these bars I hope you are inspired by one of the recipes linked up below. If you have a recipe to share my co-host Deborah and I would love to see it and have you join us for our Meatless Monday link up!

What fall food(s) are you looking forward to the most?

These Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are made with one of my favorite Whole Me Clusters, Salted Peanut Chocolate Clusters. As an ambassador for Whole Me, a local company I have loved and supported for years (before just recently becoming an ambassador), I was given a code “MISSWHISK” to share with my followers for 20% off their online order at Whole Me. This is not a sponsored recipe. I do not make any money from any Whole Me orders. My all time favorite flavor is the Lemon Berry Chia Clusters, but with the new Salted Peanut Chocolate that came out earlier this year it’s a very close second, and enjoyed even more this time of year.

Print Recipe

Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Perfectly balanced sweet and salty Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are a delicious dairy free, gluten free, grain free, vegan friendly treat! Easy to make and perfect for your next get together or no reason at all.

Servings

16-32 bars (8x8 pan)

Ingredients

Salted Peanut Chocolate Crust

• 1 8oz package Whole Me Salted Peanut Chocolate Clusters
• 1 1/2 TBSP coconut oil, melted

Pumpkin Cheesecake

• 1 1/2 c raw unsalted cashews, (soaked 4 hours or overnight)
• 1/3-1/2 c pure maple syrup
• 1/2 c pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• 1/3 c coconut oil (melted), or coconut cream (like So Delicious Original Culinary Coconut Milk)
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• 1 TBSP vanilla

Chocolate Peanut Butter Drizzle

• 2 TBSP chocolate peanut butter (Peanut Butter & Co Dark Chocolate Dreams)
• 1/2- 1 TBSP coconut oil, melted if needed to thin chocolate peanut butter

Servings 16-32 bars (8x8 pan) Ingredients Salted Peanut Chocolate Crust 1 8oz package Whole Me Salted Peanut Chocolate Clusters 1 1/2 TBSP coconut oil, melted Pumpkin Cheesecake 1 1/2 c raw unsalted cashews, (soaked 4 hours or overnight) 1/3-1/2 c pure maple syrup 1/2 c pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling 1/3 c coconut oil (melted), or coconut cream (like So Delicious Original Culinary Coconut Milk) 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 2 TBSP lemon juice 1 TBSP vanilla Chocolate Peanut Butter Drizzle 2 TBSP chocolate peanut butter (Peanut Butter & Co Dark Chocolate Dreams) 1/2- 1 TBSP coconut oil, melted if needed to thin chocolate peanut butter

Instructions

1. Line a 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, a mini food processor can be used, pulse Salted Peanut Chocolate Clusters until a course ground flour texture. Add in coconut oil and blend until combine.
3. Press crumble mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing firmly. I like to lay parchment paper on top to really press it in.
4. Place pan in the freezer while preparing the pumpkin cheesecake.
5. Rinse and drain soaked cashews and add them to Vitamix, or food processor, with lemon juice and blend as smooth as possible, about a minute or two. Scraping the sides as needed.
6. Add maple syrup, pumpkin puree, coconut cream/coconut oil, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla and blend smooth, scraping sides as needed.
7. Remove crust from the freezer and spread pumpkin cheesecake filling evenly on top of the crust.
8. Warm chocolate peanut butter, adding a little coconut oil if needed to make a drizzle. Drizzle over top of the cheesecake.
9. Place bars back in the freezer for 3-4 hours until frozen.
10. Remove from freezer and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting with a sharp knife.
11. Store in the freezer, if not enjoying right away. Bars are best enjoyed slightly thawed for best creamiest texture remove from freezer about 20 minutes before enjoying.
12. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*If you don’t want to use, cannot find Whole Me Clusters, or want a vegan crust you can make with the pecan crust from this recipe. Use code "MISSWHISK" for 20% off your order at Whole Me.

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