All the flavors of snickerdoodle cookies in these delicious and easy snickerdoodle cheesecake bars. Instead of a graham cracker crust, they have a buttery shortbread crust and crumb topping, sprinkled with a generous shower of cinnamon and sugar. You’ll love these yummy snickerdoodle cookie bars!
And if you love snickerdoodles, be sure to check out my recipes for snickerdoodle muffins and snickerdoodle cake!
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Why You’ll Love These Bars
Cinnamon and Sugar. I love cinnamon, and the sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar on top of these cookie bars is both delicious and pretty.
Buttery Shortbread. One thing I love about this recipe is that you’ll use the same crumble mixture for both the shortbread crust and the topping. Simply mix up the crumble, press some into the pan for the crust, and sprinkle the rest over the cheesecake layer.
Creamy Cheesecake. A rich layer of cream cheese gives these snickerdoodle cheesecake bars that tangy flavor that snickerdoodle cookies are known for.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Crust & Topping
- Flour. All-purpose flour gives the crust strength and structure.
- Sugar. Sweetens the crumble.
- Salt. I always add a little coarse Kosher salt to my baked goods to balance the sweetness.
- Butter. Gives the crumble moisture and flavor.
Filling
- Cream Cheese. Be sure to use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor. Since cream cheese is tangy, it takes the place of cream of tartar, which gives snickerdoodles their tangy flavor.
- Sugar. I used dark brown sugar to sweeten the cheesecake filling, but if you want a white cheesecake, be sure to use granulated sugar.
- Egg. Binds the filling together and adds richness.
- Cinnamon + Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture. A sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar on top of these cheesecake bars is the perfect sweet and sparkly finish.
Instructions
Crust & Topping
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and line an 8×8 inch baking dish with baking paper, or spray the pan with non-stick spray.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly, and the pieces of butter are no bigger than peas.
- Remove 1 cup of the crumb mixture and set aside; this will be the topping.
- Dump the remainder of the crumbs into the pan, and press firmly against the bottom of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
Filling
- While the crust is baking, you can use the same bowl to mix the filling. Use a fork to mash the cream cheese together with the sugar until well combined.
- Add the egg, cinnamon and vanilla, and use a whisk to whisk until smooth.
- After baking the crust for 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Spread the filling evenly over the crust, then sprinkle with the reserved 1 cup of crumb topping.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the topping is a very pale golden brown.
- Cool the bars completely, sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and cut into squares.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the crust with graham crackers instead?
If you want to try these with a graham cracker crust, go for it! I’d suggest using it just as a crust, but not as a crumb topping. Just sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture right on top of the cream cheese filling.
Do these bars need to be refrigerated?
You can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 day, and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
You Might Also Like
Snickerdoodle Muffins 
Snickerdoodles 
Cardamom Orange Cinnamon Rolls 
Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake
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Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Shortbread Bars
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet.
Ingredients
Crust & Topping
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- ¾ cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar or dark brown sugar, loosely packed
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tbsp cinnamon-sugar mixture (2 tbsp granulated sugar + 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)
Instructions
Crust & Topping
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and line an 8×8 inch baking dish with baking paper, or spray the pan with non-stick spray.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly, and the pieces of butter are no bigger than peas.
- Remove 1 cup of the crumb mixture and set aside; this will be the topping.
- Dump the remainder of the crumbs into the pan, and press firmly against the bottom of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
Filling
- While the crust is baking, you can use the same bowl to mix the filling. Use a fork to mash the cream cheese together with the sugar until well combined.
- Add the egg, cinnamon and vanilla, and use a whisk to whisk until smooth.
- After baking the crust for 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Spread the filling evenly over the crust, then sprinkle with the reserved 1 cup of crumb topping.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the topping is a very pale golden brown.
- Cool the bars completely, sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and cut into squares.
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