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Gingerbread Cookie Cheesecake Bars Recipe

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These Gingerbread Cookie Cheesecake Bars combine the warm, spicy flavors of gingerbread cookies with a creamy cheesecake layer for a delightful holiday dessert. Featuring a buttery gingerbread crust and chewy cookie crumbles on top, these bars are perfect for festive gatherings and pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee or tea.

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cookie Dough

  • 1 1/2 cups salted butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses (not black strap)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Cheesecake Filling

  • 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on both long sides to easily remove bars. Grease the parchment paper and sides with nonstick spray. If using a glass pan, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
  2. Make gingerbread cookie dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add molasses and eggs and mix well to combine.
  3. Add dry ingredients to dough: Add flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves to the wet ingredients. Mix until no dry streaks remain but do not overmix.
  4. Reserve dough and press base layer: Reserve 2 cups (about 20 ounces) of dough and set aside. Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.
  5. Prepare cheesecake layer: In a clean bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and flour and mix well, scraping down sides as needed. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.
  6. Assemble bars: Spread the cheesecake batter evenly over the pressed gingerbread dough in the pan. Crumble the reserved gingerbread dough over the top in small pieces, distributing evenly.
  7. Bake: Bake bars for 45-55 minutes until edges are set. After 30 minutes, loosely cover the top with foil to prevent over-browning. The center may jiggle slightly. An instant-read thermometer should read 175 to 180 degrees F in the center.
  8. Cool and chill: Let the bars cool completely in the pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours to set fully.
  9. Serve: Use parchment overhang to lift bars from pan. Cut into 24 squares and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Using parchment paper with overhang makes removing the bars from the pan easier.
  • Reducing oven temperature when using a glass pan prevents overbaking.
  • Covering with foil after 30 minutes prevents the tops from getting too dark.
  • The cheesecake layer will still jiggle slightly when done; this is normal and it sets during refrigeration.
  • Bars keep well refrigerated up to 3 days.

Find it online: https://dishcooks.com/gingerbread-cookie-cheesecake-bars-recipe/