If you love both gingerbread cookies and cheesecake, oh boy, do I have the recipe for you. These Gingerbread Cookie Cheesecake Bars are dense, rich, and outright divine.
The creation process also dirties a lot of dishes, but hey, sometimes that’s what is required to make something that truly comes across as special. This recipe makes a 9×13 pan of thick bars, so bake this to feed a crowd!
Modified from Holiday Cookies magazine 2019.
Bready or Not: Gingerbread Cookie Cheesecake Bars
Not gonna lie: these bars take some effort and dirty a lot of dishes, but the result is a thick, sumptuous dessert that is perfect for winter. Make these for a crowd! Modified from Holiday Cookies Magazine 2019.
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Gingerbread
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks) softened
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 3 Tablespoons minced candied ginger
Cheesecake
- 16 ounces cream cheese (2 blocks) softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 13×9-inch pan with aluminum foil. Apply nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the molasses, mixing until no streaks remain. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom of the bowl on occasion.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet. Fold in the candied ginger.
- Measure out 2 cups of the dough and set it aside.
- Press the remainder of the dough into the pan, forming an even layer.
- Time to make the cheesecake layer. Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the sugar and flour. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. The mixture should be fairly consistent in color and texture, but it’s okay if there are some small lumps.
- Use an uneven spatula to spread the cheesecake into an even layer. Crumble the reserved topping over it.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes; the middle should not look jiggly and should pass the toothpick test. If the top is browning too much, cover with foil.
- Cool at room temperature for about an hour, then place in fridge to completely chill for a few hours. Use foil to lift onto cutting board to slice into small pieces. Store in fridge in a sealed container.
