Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars (Printable)

Rich cheesecake layered on spiced gingerbread crust for a festive, creamy, and cozy winter treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Gingerbread Crust

01 - 1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
02 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Cheesecake Filling

04 - 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
07 - 1/4 cup molasses (unsulphured)
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
14 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Optional Garnish

15 - Whipped cream
16 - Cinnamon or nutmeg for dusting

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine gingersnap crumbs, light brown sugar, and melted butter until evenly mixed. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Incorporate sour cream and molasses, beating until fully blended.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Pour cheesecake filling evenly over the pre-baked crust, smoothing the top. Bake for 30 to 32 minutes until center is set and edges appear slightly puffed.
06 - Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least one hour before slicing into bars.
07 - Optionally, garnish bars with whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The spiced crust soaks up just enough cream cheese filling to stay tender without going soggy.
  • They slice cleanly when cold, so you get those sharp bakery-style edges everyone notices.
  • One pan feeds a crowd and tastes fancier than the effort required.
02 -
  • Cold cream cheese creates lumps that never fully disappear, no matter how long you beat it.
  • Overmixing after adding eggs whips in too much air, which causes cracks as the bars cool.
  • Cutting while warm results in messy edges and filling that sticks to the knife.
03 -
  • Run your knife under hot water and wipe it dry before each cut for the cleanest slices.
  • Bake the bars the day before serving so they have plenty of time to chill and firm up.
  • A light hand when mixing the eggs is the difference between smooth tops and cracked ones.

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