Homemade Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars are the best combination of a classic cinnamon cookie fused with a creamy cheesecake filling, then sweetly sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and baked into a delicious dessert bar. This recipe is so easy to prepare in only 5 minutes, then it’s placed in the oven to create a completely made-from-scratch treat in under an hour!
Best Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
This Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars recipe combines my favorite snickerdoodle cookie with a smooth and creamy cheesecake to create a two-in-one treat.
These delicious bars have three distinct layers: the Snickerdoodle cookie base, the cheesecake filling, and a topping of cookie pieces that are finished with a cinnamon sugar dusting. It’s the ultimate cookie bar easily made with the best of both flavors and textures in every bite.
I love how these Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars have a soft and chewy crust that is sturdy enough to hold the creamy filling and drops of dough. There are hints of vanilla and sweet cinnamon throughout; it’s the perfect slice of sugar cookie that’s been stuffed and set into the best-baked bar. And because my cookie dough requires no chilling in the fridge, this dessert is quick to make and can be in the oven, sliced, and served (and sitting happily in your stomach) quicker than any rival recipe!
If you like cheesecake, then you will love my Pecan Pie Cheesecake, Classic Cheesecake, Cheesecake Brownies, and my Lemon Cheesecake Bars.
Why We Love This Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars Recipe
- Quick and easy to prepare in 5 minutes.
- Made completely from scratch with simple ingredients.
- Cookie dough requires no chilling in the fridge which saves you time.
- Delicious dessert that combines the comfort of my favorite cinnamon-sugary cookie with the rich and tangy decadence of cheesecake.
- Soft, chewy, sweet treat.
- Perfect for a party platter, cookie exchange, holiday dessert table, or after-dinner dessert.
Ingredients / Shopping List
- All-purpose flour
- Cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
Substitutions and Additions
- Change The Crust: Feel free to make your own Golden Oreo crust, graham cracker crust, or Nilla wafers crust. It’s easy to make by grinding the cookies in a food processor to a fine in texture mixing with melted butter and pressing the mixture onto the bottom of your pan
- Sugar Cookie Shortcut: If you want to make these Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars really easy, you can use a pre-made sugar cookie dough and assemble the layers according to the recipe.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- 9×13 glass baking dish
- Baking spray (like Baker’s joy)
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring tools
- Hand mixer
How to Make the Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Barsr
This homemade Cheesecake Bars recipe is so easy to prepare in 5 quick minutes. Simply make your cookie dough, form the cheesecake filling, assemble the bars, and bake them into the best tasting combination of a 2-in-1 dessert treat.
- Cream the cream cheese, powdered sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and salt for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
Pro-Tip: Make sure you use room temperature cream cheese so that you don’t end up with lumps in your cream cheese filling. - In a separate bowl, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In another bowl, stir together ½ cup sugar and the remaining cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and remaining sugar with a hand mixer on low speed for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Pro-Tip: For this recipe, you want to make sure your unsalted butter is very soft at room temperature but NOT melted. If the butter is melted, then your cookie batter will be too hard to work with. - Add the vanilla extract and the eggs, one at a time, to the butter sugar mixture and mix for another 1-2 minutes or until the eggs are completely incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low, just until combined.
Pro Tip: Do not over mix. - Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of the baking pan.
Pro Tip: You may need to wet your fingers slightly to help push the dough into an even layer. You will reserve the remaining dough for the topping. - Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the dough.
- Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly over the cookie dough layer.
- Drop pieces of the remaining dough over the cheesecake layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining sugar and cinnamon mixture over the top of the cheesecake bars.
- Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the center has set.
- Cool the bars completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Pro-Tip: You can serve these bars at room temperature or chilled.
Storage Tips
- To Store: These Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars can be stored, in a covered container, for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze: Cool the bars completely then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 month. Defrost only in the fridge.
Other Easy Dessert Bar Recipes
- Pumpkin Streusel Bars
- Cookie Dough Bars
- Caramel Apple Bars
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Disneyland Peanut Butter Sandwich Bars
- Pumpkin Bars
- Oreo Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
- Banana Cream Pie Cheesecake Bars
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars
- Cheesecake Bars
Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust layer:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp cinnamon divided
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar divided
- 1 cup unsalted butter very soft
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cheesecake layer:
- 16 ounce (2 8-ounce packages) cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with baking spray (like Baker’s joy). Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and salt for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup granulated sugar and the remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together, on low speed, the unsalted butter and remaining 1½ cups granulated sugar for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and the eggs, one at a time, and continue to mix for another 1-2 minutes or until the eggs are completely incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low, just until combined. Do not over mix.
- Press two-thirds of the dough into an even layer onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish. You may need to wet your fingers slightly to help push the dough into an even layer. You will reserve the remaining dough for the topping.
- Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the dough.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture into an even layer over the bottom layer of dough, then drop pieces of the remaining dough randomly over the cheesecake layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the top of the snickerdoodle cheesecake bars.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the center has set.
- Allow the snickerdoodle cheesecake bars to cool completely on the counter before slicing and serving.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: These Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars can be stored, in a covered container, for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze: Cool the bars completely then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 month. Defrost only in the fridge.
- You can serve these bars at room temperature or chilled.
- Make sure you use room temperature cream cheese so that you don’t end up with lumps in your cream cheese filling.
- For this recipe, you want to make sure your unsalted butter is very soft at room temperature but NOT melted. If the butter is melted, then your cookie batter will be too hard to work with.
- You may need to wet your fingers slightly to help push the dough into an even layer.
I’m really excited to make this for my husband’s family!
I hope they love it!
well I’m in the process of using your recipe, however it seems to me a key ingredient was left out. Cream of tarter, I mean when baking the cookies alone that’s a huge ingredient along with the cinnamon of course.
Very bland
This turned out well and it was very tasty. My family raved over it as I made it for Christmas dessert.
However the instructions were difficult to follow as it was so divided up! I would like to make it again one day but only after I rewrite the instructions.
Horrible! The taste was bland and your directions were just as bad and WAYYYYY OFF! zero stars if I could give it.