These snickerdoodle cheesecake bars have a thick and soft snickerdoodle cookie base, creamy cheesecake middle, and more snickerdoodle with cinnamon sugar on top. The thick cheesecake middle is so rich and creamy - no water bath needed! The perfect dessert if you love snickerdoodle cookies and cheesecake.
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Why you will LOVE this recipe:
- Thick: Thick soft and chewy snickerdoodle base, and a thick layer of cheesecake on top.
- Snickerdoodle: All of your tangy cinnamon sugar cookie flavours plus cheesecake!
- Cinnamon sugar: There’s cinnamon sugar in every layer, giving it a lot of flavour and a bit of texture.
- Baked cheesecake: These baked snickerdoodle cheesecake bars are dense, thick, and creamy. And you don’t need a waterbath!
Jump to:
What is a snickerdoodle?
It’s essentially a thick, soft and chewy cookie coated in cinnamon sugar before baking. The cinnamon sugar gives them a beautiful, crunchy coating. It has a bit of a tangy flavour from the cream of tartar. This also helps it rise and be nice and soft. Snickerdoodle cookies are usually formed/scooped into balls and baked. They puff up and spread out in the oven.
How to get the best cheesecake filling every time
The key to a creamy cheesecake that holds its shape well is in the ingredients. Use good quality, full fat brick style cream cheese. Make sure the sour cream isn’t low fat either. Low fat will result in a watery, bland cheesecake.
After beating the cream cheese and sugar well, you want to beat just enough to incorporate the ingredients. Overbeating will combine too much air into the cheesecake batter.
Don’t overbake! The snickerdoodle cheesecake bars should still be jiggly in the center with the edges set. As the cheesecake cools down it will continue to bake.
Chill the cheesecake for at least 7 hours or overnight. It needs time to set and for the flavours to develop. This is super important in getting a flavourful cheesecake that cuts well!
Tip: to get clean cuts, take the snickerdoodle cheesecake out of the pan and pop it in the freezer for about 1 hour. Cut into bars with a hot, clean knife, cleaning after each cut.
Variations
For a chocolate cheesecake middle, swap the flour for 3 tablespoons sifted cocoa powder.
You can double the recipe and bake in a 9” by 12” baking pan. Increase baking time by 5-10 minutes.
Key ingredients
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below. But read through these for all the tips you will need for success!
Cream cheese: Use a full fat, brick style cream cheese for best results. Don't use low fat because the cheesecake centre will be too watery and won't set properly.
Sour cream: Don't use low fat sour cream or the cheesecake won't set properly.
Heavy whipping cream: Use cream that's at least 32% milkfat for best results.
Cinnamon: Make sure your cinnamon isn't expired for best results.
All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
Make the cookie base
Step 1 - Start off by mixing together the cinnamon and sugar and set aside. Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a nonstick 8” square baking pan with parchment paper. Line with 2 long strips crossed over, leaving handles at the edges to help lift out after baking.
Step 2 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine butter, sugar, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and yolk, beating well and scraping down the bowl. Add vanilla and beat again.
Step 3 - Sift flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and cinnamon right into the same bowl. Fold to form a dough.
Step 4 - Press approximately two thirds of the dough into the bottom of the lined baking pan. Smooth it out as best as possible. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of cinnamon sugar to cover the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until puffed in the middle and edges. While it’s baking, work on the filling.
Filling
Step 1 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and salt until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and beat well again.
Step 2 - Add vanilla and eggs one by one, beating well in between. Scrape down the bowl and beat again. Add sour cream and mix well.
Step 3 - In a separate bowl, whisk together cream and flour until smooth and no more lumps remain. Add into the cheesecake batter and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Step 4 - Pour cheesecake batter over the baked crust. If the crust left gaps on the sides, press down on the sides using a spoon to push the cookie into the gaps. Pour the cheesecake batter onto the crust while it’s still hot.
Step 5 - Reduce oven to 320°F (160°C). Bake for 40-50 minutes. Halfway through, add pieces of snickerdoodle cookie dough on top of the cheesecake and sprinkle cinnamon sugar. Bake until the edges are set and the middle still has a bit of a jiggle to it.
Step 6 - Let the cheesecake bars cool to room temperature then refrigerate for at least 7 hours (or overnight).
Step 7 - To remove from pan, run a knife along the edge of the cheesecake to help lift out. Pull by the handles and cut into 12 squares (clean your knife after every cut). Sprinkle more cinnamon sugar on top. Serve!
FAQ
Use a 9" round springform pan to make this into a round cake.
Yes! It's so important to chill these cheesecake bars for at least 7 hours or they won't set and won't taste as good. You need that flavour to develop. You can make this snickerdoodle cheesecake the day before serving as well.
Check out these other recipes:
Happy baking!
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📖 Recipe
Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
- eight inch square non-stick pan
Ingredients
Cinnamon sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
Snickerdoodle cookie dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 ¼ cup all purpose flour (390g)
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon ground
Cheesecake
- 16 oz cream cheese (brick style) room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
Instructions
Cinnamon sugar
- Stir cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and set aside.⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Snickerdoodle cookie dough
- Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a nonstick 8” square baking pan with parchment paper. Line with 2 long strips crossed over, leaving handles at the edges to help lift out after baking.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine butter, sugar, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and yolk, beating well and scraping down the bowl. Add vanilla and beat again.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Sift flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and cinnamon right into the same bowl. Fold to form a dough.3 ¼ cup all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Press approximately two thirds of the dough into the bottom of the lined baking pan. Smooth it out as best as possible. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of cinnamon sugar to cover the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until puffed in the middle and edges. While it’s baking, work on the filling.
Cheesecake
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and salt until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and beat well again.16 oz cream cheese (brick style), ¾ cup granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Add vanilla and eggs one by one, beating well in between. Scrape down the bowl and beat again. Add sour cream and mix well.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 2 large eggs, ½ cup sour cream
- In a separate bowl, whisk together cream and flour until smooth and no more lumps remain. Add into the cheesecake batter and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.¼ cup heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- Pour cheesecake batter over the baked crust. If the crust left gaps on the sides, press down on the sides using a spoon to push the cookie into the gaps. Pour the cheesecake batter onto the crust while it’s still hot.
- Reduce oven temperature to 320°F (160°C). Bake for 40-50 minutes. Halfway through, Add pieces of snickerdoodle cookie dough on top of the cheesecake and sprinkle cinnamon sugar. Bake until the edges are set and the middle still has a bit of a jiggle to it.
- Let the cheesecake bars cool to room temperature then refrigerate for at least 7 hours (or overnight).
- To remove from pan, run a knife along the edge of the cheesecake to help lift out. Pull by the handles and cut into 12 squares (clean your knife after every cut). Sprinkle more cinnamon sugar on top. Serve!
Beth Rhoten
Dear Mary,
Another fabulous recipe! Made this for my son and daughter in law as part of a new baby dinner I delivered. They loved it! Only thing I would do differently next time is use a bigger pan. Mine was very thick and almost overflowed my 8x8 pan. Also, again saying I LOVE the way you remind me of the ingredient amounts needed in each step. No flipping up and down to see the amounts! I think you are wonderful and wish you good luck in all your endeavors!
Big fan,
Beth