Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prepare the crust
- Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides so you can lift the bars out later.
- Stir the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, melted butter, and fine salt together until the mixture looks like damp sand and holds together when pressed.
- Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the pan, using the flat bottom of a measuring cup to pack the surface tight, then freeze for 20 minutes.
Make the pumpkin cream layer
- Beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar for 2 minutes until completely smooth and lump-free.
- Beat in the pumpkin purée, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and vanilla extract until the mixture is uniform and deeply orange.
- In a separate cold bowl, whip the cold heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.
- Fold the whipped heavy cream into the pumpkin mixture in three additions, folding gently until no white streaks remain and the filling is light and airy.
- Spread the pumpkin cream over the chilled crust in an even layer, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.
Add the topping and chill
- Whip the remaining cold heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar to soft peaks, then spread it over the pumpkin layer in gentle swoops.
- Chill the bars at least 6 hours or overnight until fully set and sliceable.
- Dust with ground cinnamon, scatter crushed graham crackers over the top, then lift out by the parchment and cut into 24 bars using a warm knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
Notes
For the cleanest slices, keep the whipped cream cold and chill the pan fully before cutting; wipe the knife between bars. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze the cut bars up to 1 month (wrap tightly). For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat heavy cream only if you can still whip to soft peaks, as texture may be slightly less stable.