There is truly nothing like the nostalgia of a classic snickerdoodle, and I’m really embracing that with these snickerdoodle cheesecake bars.
I’ve been making so many cheesecake stuffed cookies I thought it was time to make some cheesecake bars! Pairing them with a delicious cinnamon sugar makes this a dessert made in heaven.
These bars are unbelievably creamy and smooth, and the swirls of cinnamon sugar make them entirely irresistible.
These bars are so easy to make and are perfect for sharing or storing. Somehow, they taste even better over time. It’s magic, I swear!
Substitutions & Swaps for These Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
This recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have all of them on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.
Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs – I like to crush up graham crackers for the crust. I pulverize the crackers in my food processor. You can also use crushed vanilla wafers.
- Salted Butter – If you don’t have salted butter, you can use unsalted butter and add in a pinch (1/8 tsp) of fine salt.
- Granulated Sugar – I think these cheesecake bars have just the right amount of sweetness, but you can either increase or decrease the amount of sugar by a few Tablespoons based on your preferences.
- Cream Cheese – This recipe turns out best with full-fat cream cheese and I use the type that comes in a block. However, you can use low fat cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese if needed.
- Eggs – Sadly this recipe does not turn out with egg alternatives like applesauce or flax seed eggs. I highly recommend using regular large eggs.
- Light Brown Sugar – I prefer using light brown sugar in the cinnamon swirl, but you can also use dark brown sugar or additional granulated sugar if needed.
Making These Cheesecake Bars in Advance
These snickerdoodle cheesecake bars keep in the fridge for up to a week. Store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
You can also freeze these bars for up to two months! Freeze the bars on a sheet pan until they’re firm to the touch, then wrap them in a layer of plastic wrap and then foil.
When you want to enjoy the bars, place them in the fridge overnight, then unwrap and enjoy them the following day.
How to Make the Best Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
- Use cream cheese that is at room temperature. If you forget to set it out ahead of time, heat it in the microwave in 10 second intervals until it reaches room temperature.
- Beat your cream cheese on a low speed until it’s smooth and creamy before adding the other ingredients. This helps to prevent any lumps from forming in the cheesecake batter.
- Don’t use a toothpick to check if you’re bars are done! Instead, gently shake the pan while it’s still in the oven. If only a small circle in the center jiggles a little, it’s ready! The center will set as the bars cool.
- Use a warm, sharp knife to get clean slices. Fill a tall cup with hot water and drip a sharp knife into it. Dry the knife fully, then make a slice. Repeat with each cut and wipe the blade completely clean after each cut.
- If you want to make this recipe in a 9 x 13-inch pan, double the recipe and bake at 325 F for 38-42 minutes.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this recipe for snickerdoodle cheesecake bars, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and share a comment.
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Yield: 16
Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
These snickerdoodle cheesecake bars are a match made in heaven! They're rich, creamy, and rippled with delicious cinnamon sugar!
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Additional Time
2 hours
Total Time
2 hours 55 minutes
Ingredients
Snickerdoodle Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs or about 9 full sheets (130g)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar (25g)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted (56g)
Cinnamon Sugar Swirl
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed (66g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (66g)
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 cups or 16 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (452g)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (133g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (4ml)
Instructions
Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 325 F / 165 C and line an 8-inch x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. I like to use metal (unpainted) binder clips to keep my parchment paper in place.
- Whisk 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tbsp of sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon together into a medium bowl.
- Add in 1/4 cup of melted butter and mix until the ingredients are fully combined and the cookie crumbs look moist.
- Pour the cinnamon cookie mixture into your prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup to press down firmly and create a compact, even crust.
- Bake for 8 minutes then remove from the oven. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Be sure to keep your oven on!!
Cinnamon Sugar Swirl
- Whisk together 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon. Set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
- While the cinnamon crust bakes and cools make the cheesecake filling.
- Place 2 cups of room temperature cream cheese in a medium sized bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment on a medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until creamy and smooth.
- Mix in 2/3 cup of granulated sugar on a medium-low speed until combined.
- Add in 2 eggs, one at a time followed by 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Mix on a medium-low speed until the eggs are fully incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is properly mixed together.
- Pour half of the cheesecake filling on top of the cooled cinnamon graham cracker crust.
- Sprinkle 2/3 of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of cheesecake batter. Top with the remaining cheesecake batter. Use the back of a spoon to spread out the batter and completely cover the cinnamon sugar filling.
- Add spoonfuls of the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the batter. Use a butter knife or small offset spatula to drag lines through the batter to swirl it together with the cinnamon sugar. This will give the bars a crackly cinnamon sugar top that looks just like a freshly baked snickerdoodle.
- Bake the cheesecake bars at 325 F for 40-45 minutes. Check on the bars halfway through and cover the pan with a piece of foil if the top looks like it's browning too much.
- Once you think the bars are done baking, do a wiggle test to check if they're ready. Gently wiggle the pan and watch the center. The edges should be relatively set and the middle should wiggle a bit when the bars are done baking. Cheesecake doesn't bake up completely firm the way cake layers do, so my usual toothpick test won't work.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a metal rack. Once they reach room temperature, refrigerate them for an additional 2 hours or overnight. Do not put them immediately into the fridge, or the top can crack.
- Cut them with a sharp, warm knife. Clean the knife after each cut to get perfect squares.
- Leftover bars can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Notes
Making These Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars in Advance
These snickerdoodle cheesecake bars keep in the fridge for up to a week. Store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
You can also freeze these bars for up to two months! Freeze the bars on a sheet pan until they're firm to the touch, then wrap them in a layer of plastic wrap and then foil.
When you want to enjoy the bars, place the bars in the fridge overnight, then unwrap and enjoy the following day.
How to Make the Best Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
- Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature.
- Don't use a toothpick to check if you're bars are done! Instead, gently shake the pan while it's still in the oven. If only a small circle in the center jiggles a little, it's ready! The center will set as the bars cool.
- Use a warm, sharp knife to get clean slices! Fill a tall cup with hot water and drip a sharp knife into it. Dry the knife fully, then make a slice. Repeat with each cut, wiping the blade completely clean each time.
- If you want to make this recipe in a 9 x 13 inch pan, double the recipe and bake at 325 F for 38-42 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 348Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 34mgSodium 276mgCarbohydrates 53gFiber 2gSugar 27gProtein 5g
Yield: 16
Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
These snickerdoodle cheesecake bars are a match made in heaven! They're rich, creamy, and rippled with delicious cinnamon sugar!
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Additional Time
2 hours
Total Time
2 hours 55 minutes
Ingredients
Snickerdoodle Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs or about 9 full sheets (130g)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar (25g)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted (56g)
Cinnamon Sugar Swirl
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed (66g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (66g)
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 cups or 16 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (452g)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (133g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (4ml)
Instructions
Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 325 F / 165 C and line an 8-inch x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. I like to use metal (unpainted) binder clips to keep my parchment paper in place.
- Whisk 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tbsp of sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon together into a medium bowl.
- Add in 1/4 cup of melted butter and mix until the ingredients are fully combined and the cookie crumbs look moist.
- Pour the cinnamon cookie mixture into your prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup to press down firmly and create a compact, even crust.
- Bake for 8 minutes then remove from the oven. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Be sure to keep your oven on!!
Cinnamon Sugar Swirl
- Whisk together 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon. Set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
- While the cinnamon crust bakes and cools make the cheesecake filling.
- Place 2 cups of room temperature cream cheese in a medium sized bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment on a medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until creamy and smooth.
- Mix in 2/3 cup of granulated sugar on a medium-low speed until combined.
- Add in 2 eggs, one at a time followed by 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Mix on a medium-low speed until the eggs are fully incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is properly mixed together.
- Pour half of the cheesecake filling on top of the cooled cinnamon graham cracker crust.
- Sprinkle 2/3 of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of cheesecake batter. Top with the remaining cheesecake batter. Use the back of a spoon to spread out the batter and completely cover the cinnamon sugar filling.
- Add spoonfuls of the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the batter. Use a butter knife or small offset spatula to drag lines through the batter to swirl it together with the cinnamon sugar. This will give the bars a crackly cinnamon sugar top that looks just like a freshly baked snickerdoodle.
- Bake the cheesecake bars at 325 F for 40-45 minutes. Check on the bars halfway through and cover the pan with a piece of foil if the top looks like it's browning too much.
- Once you think the bars are done baking, do a wiggle test to check if they're ready. Gently wiggle the pan and watch the center. The edges should be relatively set and the middle should wiggle a bit when the bars are done baking. Cheesecake doesn't bake up completely firm the way cake layers do, so my usual toothpick test won't work.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a metal rack. Once they reach room temperature, refrigerate them for an additional 2 hours or overnight. Do not put them immediately into the fridge, or the top can crack.
- Cut them with a sharp, warm knife. Clean the knife after each cut to get perfect squares.
- Leftover bars can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Notes
Making These Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars in Advance
These snickerdoodle cheesecake bars keep in the fridge for up to a week. Store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
You can also freeze these bars for up to two months! Freeze the bars on a sheet pan until they're firm to the touch, then wrap them in a layer of plastic wrap and then foil.
When you want to enjoy the bars, place the bars in the fridge overnight, then unwrap and enjoy the following day.
How to Make the Best Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
- Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature.
- Don't use a toothpick to check if you're bars are done! Instead, gently shake the pan while it's still in the oven. If only a small circle in the center jiggles a little, it's ready! The center will set as the bars cool.
- Use a warm, sharp knife to get clean slices! Fill a tall cup with hot water and drip a sharp knife into it. Dry the knife fully, then make a slice. Repeat with each cut, wiping the blade completely clean each time.
- If you want to make this recipe in a 9 x 13 inch pan, double the recipe and bake at 325 F for 38-42 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 348Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 34mgSodium 276mgCarbohydrates 53gFiber 2gSugar 27gProtein 5g
Alisha Jadoo
Thursday 30th of December 2021
Gonna try it today. You made it look so easy! I'm adding home-made apple pie topping when I serve it. Wish me luck!