Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars Recipe
These Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars combine a buttery, cinnamon-spiced shortbread crust with a creamy vanilla cheesecake filling, topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel. Baked to golden perfection, these bars deliver the classic warmth of snickerdoodle cookies in a rich, portable cheesecake form—perfect for dessert or a sweet snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 9 to 16 bars (depending on size) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Snickerdoodle Shortbread Crust
- 1/2 cup (112 g) salted butter
- 1/3 cup (64 g) brown sugar
- 1 tbsp (13 g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cup (171 g) all purpose flour
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 block (8 ounces) softened cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/8 tsp salt
Streusel Topping
- 1.5 tbsp salted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (51 g) brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Heat your oven to 350℉ (175℃). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray it with nonstick baking spray to ensure easy removal of the bars later.
- Make the crust: Melt the butter in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds until soft and mostly melted. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla extract until well combined. Gradually stir in the flour until no white streaks remain and a thick, clumpy dough forms. Press this dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 15 to 18 minutes or until it turns golden and slightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
- Prepare the cheesecake filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese together with sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and salt, then beat on low speed until fully combined and silky. Pour the filling evenly over the cooled crust and spread it smoothly.
- Make the streusel topping: Melt the butter in a small bowl. Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until the mixture forms a coarse, sandy texture. Sprinkle this topping evenly over the cheesecake filling without pressing it down.
- Bake the bars: Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The topping should be golden brown and the center of the cheesecake should have only a slight jiggle when gently shaken. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the bars for an additional 2 to 3 hours to fully set the cheesecake. When ready to serve, use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and cut into squares. Enjoy chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- You can double the cheesecake filling and streusel topping ingredients if you prefer thicker layers, but keep the crust quantity the same. If doing this, bake in the same 8×8 pan and add about 10 extra minutes of baking time.
- Using parchment paper makes lifting the bars out cleanly much easier than greasing alone.
- Watch carefully near the end of baking; overbaking can dry out the cheesecake layer.
- These bars are best stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Let the bars chill fully before slicing for clean, neat squares.
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