Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
After writing up and then re-reading what I said in my Snickerdoodle Ice Cream post, I started to feel like a bad big sister. Afterall, my sister and her husband were driving 5 hours to come see us on their holiday weekend and I couldn’t even save them some ice cream that I had made with her in mind… So instead of feeling bad about it, I set out to make something else that they would enjoy.
When I saw this recipe in Google Reader with a star next to it, I knew it would be a winner. Not only does my sister love snickerdoodles, her husband loves cheesecake. So really, these bars are the perfect dessert to make for them. In fact, they’re pretty perfect to make for anyone.
Everyone who tried one couldn’t get enough of them. The same batter is used for the base of the bars as for the drops of snickerdoodle on top. You’ll notice that it’s ingredients are eerily similar to those of snickerdoodle cookies.
The cheesecake layer is a pretty standard cheesecake filling. No frills there, which makes it the perfect compliment to the cinnamony snickerdoodle components to these bars.
For the dollops of snickerdoodles on the top, I used my tiny cookie scoop to portion out dough. Dropping those little balls of dough “randomly” is harder for this engineer than I was expecting. I kept wanting to line them up in perfect formation.
I’m glad that my sister’s visit encouraged me to try this recipe. I think it’s one that going to be repeated in my house (and hers) in the future!
Four Years Ago: Chocolate Strawberry and Vanilla Ice Cream Cupcakes and Coconut Raspberry Ice Cream Cupcakes
Five Years Ago: Blueberry Lemon Cookies and Stuffed Tomatoes
Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
The perfect marriage of snickerdoodles and cheesecake, in the ever popular bar format!
Yield: 16 bars
Ingredients:
For Cinnamon Sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
For the Cookie Base
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg (optional)
For the Cheesecake Layer
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
For the Cinnamon sugar
Mix in a bowl until cinnamon is fully incorporated into sugar.
Butter an 8-x-8-inch baking pan. Use 1/8 cup of cinnamon sugar, place at the bottom of the pan, then rotate the pan around so that the cinnamon sugar sticks to where the butter is. Whatever cinnamon sugar is left, set aside.
For the Cookie Base
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add egg and beat until fully incorporated. Scrape down bowl and beat for another 30 seconds.
Add dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.
Divide cookie dough so that 3/4 of the dough goes into the bottom of the pan, the remaining 1/4 will go on top. Place the remaining 1/4 dough into another bowl and clean out the mixing bowl to use for cheesecake. Press the cookie dough into the pan to make an even bottom layer. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar from when you prepared the pan.
For the Cheesecake Layer
Using the stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
Add flour and beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
Pour cheesecake batter on top of cookie dough in prepared pan.
Take the remaining cookie dough and roll into small balls. Roll them in the remaining cinnamon sugar and place them randomly on top of the cheesecake batter but make sure they are not touching.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Then put in fridge for 1 hour.
Recipe from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
that cake is so beautiful, and sounds delicious!
Wow! Your pictures are amazing! I would love to sink my teeth into that cake right now!
Well…. you’ve done it again! Now, I simply have to add this to my Christmas Eve repetoire. It is fabulous! So many recipes….not enough time!
http://www.simplysweeter.blogspot.com
wow! this look unbelievable. I might have to conquer my fear of baking just for this.
Wow, that is stunning! Nice job!
Whoa..this looks beyond incredible…I dont think my sweet tooth will be satisfied ever without this!
I have to do this for Christmas dessert! Thanks for sharing!
C’est magnifique! Great job!!
Seriously, that looks downright sinful and gorgeous!!! Just amazing Jen!
wow, this is over the top 🙂 but totally worth it!! looks awesome!
What a great combination of flavors! I can almost smell the cake. Yum!!
STUNNING! Good job on this, I want a piece!
…great cake!!! and happy bday to Z!!! Hugs, ciao Flavia
What am amazing cake! I love the bright red and contrasting white, simmply beautiful!
What a beautiful cake! My family would love this. Cheesecake and red velvet are my hubby’s favorites. Maybe I will make it for his birthday!
Talk about impressive! You go!
And just when I think you can’t keep coming up with brilliant ideas and delicious photos…this looks/sounds utterly amazing!
Cheesecake in between the cake layers… OMG. You so outdid yourself. That is amazing!
Wow. I saw a similar cheesecake but couldn’t fint a recipe so resolved to just make “plain ole red velvet cupcakes.” This looks so much better!
Oh My – this looks so amazing!
that looks awesome! I saw something similar in the Sam’s club add that I’ve been wanting to try but homemade would be even better
This cake looks so beautiful and I bet it tastes INCREDIBLE! I couldn’t print it out fast enough – I’m definitely trying it in the new year! Wow!
this has been on my ‘want to try’ list for a while! Maybe this will be the push i need to give it a try!
That cake looks gorgeous and delicious!
This is so cool! The only reason I like red velvet is the cream cheese frosting and this just takes it to a whole new level!
Wow, where to begin?! That bright red is gorgeous! The cheesecake hiding in the center sounds ridiculously delicious! Gorgeous photos too:)
this is a perfect holiday cake! great idea.
What a great idea! I love how the cheesecake layer looks so impressive sandwiched between the shockingly red red velvet layers!
Ok this looks amazing!
Hey girl, I am 100% sure I am going to make this for Christmas…it looks amazing! Just wondering…you used a 9″ springform pan for the cheesecake, right?
Joanne, Sorry for the delay, but yet, I used a springform pan for the cheesecake. I think that’s why it came out a tad bigger than the cake layers. Did you make it for Christmas? How did it turn out?
I made this for Christmas and it was absolutely AMAZING! My family really enjoyed it and I already have thoughts of the other cakes that would be incredible with a layer of cheesecake inbetween. What a great idea!
This looks amazing! I am making 60 red velvet cupcakes for my cousin’s homecoming. I used the red velvet recipe without the cheesecake…AMAZING! The best recipe I have found yet. Thanks, keep it up!