Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars are like cookies and cheesecake in one! A homemade graham cracker crust is topped with a creamy cheesecake layer and snickerdoodle cookie dough in this sweet and salty recipe.
We love cheesecake you can eat with your hands. These Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars and Chocolate Cheesecake Bars are two more incredible cheesecake recipes you’ll love.
Why these Cheesecake Bars are Best
Imagine taking our delicious snickerdoodle bars and making them a layered dessert!
Let me walk you through the delights of this bar:
- The crust is made with a combination of graham cracker crumbs and pecans. Sweet and salty!
- The cheesecake layer is smooth and creamy, and best served COLD.
- The snickerdoodle recipe layer has a top crust of cinnamon sugar and one bite of this bar will leave you wanting more. I promise!
I’m pretty sure that cheesecake bars are nearing the top of my list of “favorite desserts.” I don’t think they could ever replace Krispie Treats….but they come in a close second.
Ingredient Notes
Reminder
Scroll to the end of the blog post for a complete printable list of ingredients, measurements, and directions.
- Pecans – These are added to the How to Make a Graham Cracker Pie Crust for the perfect dimension of nutty flavor. We also use chopped pecans in the snickerdoodle topping!
- Cream cheese – It’s crucial to use full fat regular cream cheese to make the cheesecake layer. You want the kind that comes in BLOCKS not the “spreads” in the tub.
- Butter- you’ll need unsalted butter for the crust layer, as well as the cookie layer. Make sure your butter is softened (use our tips on how to soften butter quickly).
- Cinnamon – It’s not a snickerdoodle dessert without it! You will use this in the filling, the snickerdoodle layer and the final cinnamon-sugar topping.
PRO TIP- We love making our own homemade vanilla extract, but if using store bought, be sure it’s pure extract, not imitation (for best flavor).
Tips and Tricks
- Let your cream cheese soften at room temperature to make it easier to incorporate. I take mine of of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before making cheesecake bars.
- Do not overbake. Take the bars out of the oven when the cookie layer is fully baked and brown, but the cheesecake is still a bit jiggly.
- Chill your snickerdoodle cheesecake bars for at least 4 hours! Even better, leave the bars in the fridge overnight. They taste best when they’re extra cold so don’t try to cut corners and shorten the chill time.
- Read all my tips and tricks for making perfect graham cracker crust! With or without nuts, it’s my favorite crust for cheesecake.
Recipe FAQs
No, whipped cream cheese spreads should not be used in this recipe. They contain more air and water than regular cream cheese which would affect the finished consistency and flavor of the snickerdoodle cheesecake.
In my house, we tend to eat the whole batch before you can say u0022snickerdoodle.u0022 But if you have more will power than I do, these bars will keep well for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Take the bars out of the oven when the snickerdoodle cookie layer is golden brown. It’s okay if the cheesecake layer jiggles a little bit when you tap the pan. It will continue firming up as it cools.
Yes, you can! To freeze, place a single layer of cut cheesecake bars on a sheet pan. Freeze for 1 hour or until solid. Then transfer the frozen bars to freezer bags.
Make sure to include a sheet of wax paper between the layers of bars to prevent them from sticking together.
Thaw frozen snickerdoodle cheesecake bars in the refrigerator for several hours before eating.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Strawberry Cheesecake Napoleons: an easy dessert idea!
- Turtle Brownies: gooey caramel, chocolate and pecans make this a sinfully delicious treat!
- Frosted Chocolate Nut Cookie Bars: chewy, fudgy with a sweet and salty finish!
- No Bake Cheesecake Bars
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars – with a crescent roll crust!
- Carrot Cake – our perfect cake recipe!
Brownies and Bars
See all Brownies and Bars recipes
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Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs about 12 full size grahams
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
For the cheesecake filling:
- 2 packages cream cheese, softened 8 ounce each
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the snickerdoodle layer:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
For the topping:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Line a 13×9 baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat oven for 350 degrees.
- In a food processor, pulse graham crackers with pecans and sugar until fine crumbs. Add in melted butter and pulse until combined.
- Press crumbs into bottom of prepared baking dish. Using palm of your hand (or bottom of a cup) press crumbs firmly until they are pressed into the bottom of the pan.
- For the cheesecake filling, beat cream cheese with sugar, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer. Beat until fluffy and smooth (about 3-4 minutes). Pour over graham crust.
- For the cookie dough, beat butter with sugar for 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat thoroughly. Add in baking powder, salt, flour and cinnamon and beat until fully combined. Fold in chopped pecans. Scoop dough by large spoonfuls onto the top of the cheesecake layer. Try to use your fingertips to spread gently until cheesecake layer if fully covered.
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon topping. Sprinkle generously over the cookie dough layer.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, middle may still “jiggle.” That’s okay. You want the cookie layer to be completely cooked and browned. Remove from oven and cool completely. Once cooled, cover with foil and refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight. Cut into squares and enjoy. Keep leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Let your cream cheese soften at room temperature to make it easier to incorporate. I take mine of of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before making cheesecake bars.
- Do not overbake. Take the bars out of the oven when the cookie layer is fully baked and brown, but the cheesecake is still a bit jiggly.
- Chill your snickerdoodle cheesecake bars for at least 4 hours! Even better, leave the bars in the fridge overnight. They taste best when they’re extra cold so don’t try to cut corners and shorten the chill time.
- Read all my tips and tricks for making perfect graham cracker crust! With or without nuts, it’s my favorite crust for cheesecake.
Video
Nutrition
Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars are cheesecake and cookie in one. You’ll love the combination of sweet, salty and cinnamon sugar flavors in every bite!
Can these be made without pecans?
Sure!
These snickerdoodle’s bars look great. Could they also have a powdered sugar icing drizzled over them?
Of course!
I’m a food snob and very critical of many recipes. That being said, these are so good… even when my hubby couldn’t wait the 4hrs to chill. Cut out a corner and they are delicious! Can’t wait to taste fully chilled! Followed recipe and made no changes. This recipe made the cut to my cherished box of collected recipes!
So happy to hear this!
Can I use whipped cream cheese to speed up the softening time?
Nope. Unfortunately the whipped spreads don’t bake up like the blocks of cream cheese.
Can you leave out the nuts in the crust and cookie top part? If so, do you need to adjust the recipe or just leave them out? Thanks
There isn’t any cream of tartar in these. How are they Snickerdoodles with no ingredient for the tangy flavor???
You get the tang from the cream cheese 🙂
sounds delicious. if I double this, can I use a half sheet pan? How should I change cooking time?
How would you make these in an 8×8 pan?
I typically would have skipped this recipe just because of the high price of pecans. I splurged and spent almost $6 for 1 cup and I don’t regret a single penny. This turned out just like the picture and was so delicious warm out of the oven (yes I did) or chilled the next day. Don’t look at the calorie content, you only live once! This is heaven. Thank you for sharing this with the world!!!!
I made these yesterday for my Super Bowl party which is today. Tried a little bite this morning and couldn’t believe how delicious they are- even better than I expected them to be! Will make these again and again, and in all the varieties you have on your site! YUM!!!!
I am planning on trying these and know that I can do subs on the sugar. Have you tried it with any other flour than all-purpose? Thank you
I don’t see the question I asked about this bar. I’m sorry if this is a repeat. Just wanted to know what you thought about using a shortbread crust instead of the graham cracker crust. This sounds delicious and I’d like to give it a try.
I like the sound of that shortbread cookie crust! BUT…as I have tried that in previous recipes…it has too much fat, not clarified as butter, shortening, lard. You need to keep the balance of fats, hence…graham crax crust. You can even make your graham crust if you want…have done that before.
Would this recipe work as a full cheesecake rather then bars?
I haven’t tried these yet, but I’m making them today. I was wondering could I make the cheesecake to make it more like a cake? I had a cheese cake that had like a crumb cake on top it was sooo good. This recipe sounds like it might fit. Unless you can recommend another recipe?
I’ve made these 6xs in the past 2 months. My best friends Mom asked me to make a pan for her after I sent some home with her.
However, I have tweaked the recipe a bit. I use cinnamon graham crackers for the crust. (I also bake the crust for 5-8min at 350°) Second, I used Philadelphia Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Cream Cheese for the cheesecake layer. I also use Maple extract in the cheese cake layer. (2 tsp, no vanilla.)
I haven’t tried these yet, but I’m making them today. I was wondering could I make the cheesecake portion thicker to make it more like a cake? I had a cheese cake that that had like a crumb cake on top it was sooo good. This recipe sounds like it might fit. Unless you can recommend another recipe?
I make these all the time !! Seriously our fav dessert. Curious if anyone has ever added pumpkin to either the cookie or cheesecake and how you went about that
amazing!
amazing!
Can you freeze them?
Yes! Wrap in parchment and slide into a ziploc freezer bag 🙂
I just won our family reunion bake off with this recipe! The crust did not fill the pan, though. Might need to time and a half that part.