Snickerdoodle cheesecake bars: a speculoos cookie crust and creamy cinnamon cheesecake topped with a cinnamon crumble!

Your friends and family will think you spent hours making these cheesecake bars, but lucky for you, this recipe is SUPER simple. The crust and filling both come together in one food processor, and the crumble is mixed by hand in a bowl.

The Best Snickerdoodle Biscoff Cheesecake Bars (Cinnamon Crumble Topping)

This snickerdoodle cheesecake bars recipe is hands down one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. To me, nothing beats cheesecake, but then add a kick butt crust using Biscoff cookies and an addictive cinnamon crumble topping and I’m sold!

Jeremy and I love cheesecake everything, so I love experimenting with recipes for us to enjoy. I love making cheesecake bars because they are just easier to make than a large cheesecake, and the recipe doesn’t make a ton of them, so we feel slightly less guilty.

The flavor is everything you love about a snickerdoodle cookie. Warm cinnamon runs through all three layers: the spiced cookie crust, the tangy cream cheese filling and the buttery brown sugar crumble on top. Biscoff (speculoos) cookies are already full of caramel and spice, so they make the perfect snickerdoodle style base.

See, so easy, and you only have to dirty one appliance. I love that! Just wipe out the food processor after the crust, no need to clean it thoroughly, and make the filling right in the same bowl. Then comes the fun part, making the crumble! It goes on top in one big, generous layer, and it bakes into a golden, cinnamon sugar crust that tastes just like the top of a snickerdoodle.

Why You’ll Love These Cheesecake Bars

Three cinnamon layers. Cookie crust, cinnamon cheesecake and a crumbly brown sugar topping.
One appliance. The food processor makes both the crust and the filling, so cleanup is quick.
Easier than a whole cheesecake. No water bath and no cracking worries.
Just right size. A 9×9 pan makes 9 bars, not a giant cake.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

Biscoff or speculoos cookies: These crisp, spiced cookies turn into a crust that tastes like caramel and cinnamon. One 8.8 ounce package is exactly what you need. Graham crackers work in a pinch, though the crust will taste milder.
Unsalted butter: Melted butter binds the cookie crumbs for the crust, and cold butter makes the crumble topping. Cold butter is the key to a sandy, crumbly topping instead of a paste. Keep the stick in the fridge until the moment you grate it.
Ground cinnamon: The star of the show. It goes into all three layers, with the most in the crumble for that classic snickerdoodle taste.
Cream cheese: Use full fat cream cheese and let it soften at room temperature so the filling blends smooth with no lumps.
Sour cream: Adds tang and makes the filling extra creamy. It also helps keep the bars soft once they chill. Plain Greek yogurt can stand in if that is what you have.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the filling without making it heavy. It dissolves quickly in the food processor, so the filling stays silky.
Vanilla bean paste or extract: Vanilla bean paste adds those pretty little specks and a deeper vanilla flavor, but pure vanilla extract works just as well.
Egg: Just one egg sets the filling so it slices cleanly. Room temperature eggs blend in more evenly.
All purpose flour: The base of the crumble topping. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off so the crumble doesn’t turn dry and dusty.
Light brown sugar: Packed brown sugar gives the crumble a soft caramel flavor and helps it bake up golden.

How to Make Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars

Make the crust. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×9 baking dish. Process the cookies into fine crumbs in a food processor, then add the melted butter and cinnamon and pulse until it looks like wet sand. Press it firmly into the bottom of the dish. The bottom of a flat measuring cup makes this easy.
Make the filling. Wipe out the food processor, no need to wash it, and add the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and egg. Pulse until completely smooth, then pour it over the crust.
Make the crumble. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Grate the cold butter straight into the bowl, the easy way, or cut it into very small cubes. Toss so the butter is coated in the flour mixture.
Rub it together. Using your fingers, press and roll the butter into the flour. You’re done when the crumble looks like sand with a few larger pieces mixed in. Pour everything on top of the cheesecake. Yes, all of it! Trust me.
Bake. Bake for 36 minutes, until the cheesecake is very slightly jiggly in the center and the crumble is lightly golden.
Cool and chill. Let the bars cool on the counter for 20 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until set. Cut into 9 even squares and enjoy!

Tip: Grate the cold butter right into the bowl for the crumble. It is the lazy way, and it coats every bit of flour evenly so the topping bakes up sandy and crisp.

Ways to Customize These Bars

Switch the crust. Graham crackers or gingersnaps can stand in for Biscoff cookies.
Add apples. Scatter a thin layer of finely diced apple over the filling before adding the crumble for an apple pie twist.
Drizzle it. A drizzle of caramel sauce or melted white chocolate over the chilled bars makes them extra special.
Add nuts. Stir a handful of chopped pecans into the crumble for crunch.

Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars FAQs

How do I know when the cheesecake bars are done? Bake for 36 minutes, until the center is very slightly jiggly. It will finish setting as it cools and chills.
Do I have to chill them? Yes. Chill for at least 3 hours so the cheesecake sets and the bars cut cleanly. Overnight is even better.
What are speculoos cookies? Crisp, spiced cookies flavored with cinnamon and caramelized sugar. Biscoff is the most popular brand.
Can I make these ahead? Yes. They need at least 3 hours in the fridge anyway, so making them the day before is perfect.
How do I store cheesecake bars? Keep them covered in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4 days. Do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Can I freeze them? Yes. Wrap the chilled bars individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Why is my crumble pasty instead of sandy? The butter was likely too warm. Use butter straight from the fridge and stop mixing once the crumble looks like sand with a few larger pieces.
How do I get clean slices? Lift the bars out of the lined pan and use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts.
Can I use low fat cream cheese? Full fat cream cheese gives the creamiest, firmest filling. Lower fat versions can make the bars softer.

Snickerdoodle Cream Cheese Bars

Dana DeVolk

These snickerdoodle cream cheese bars layer a Biscoff cookie crust, cinnamon cheesecake and a brown sugar cinnamon crumble. They bake for 36 minutes and chill for 3 hours, making 9 bars.

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Servings 9 servings

Ingredients

Cookie Crust

1 8.8 ounce package Biscoff cookies, or speculoos cookies
5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cheesecake Filling

8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg

Crumble Topping

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter cold

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookies in a food processor and process into crumbs. Add the melted butter and cinnamon and mix until combined. Press into the bottom of a lined 9x9 baking dish. Set aside
Wipe out the food processor, no need to wash, place all the cheesecake filling ingredients inside. Pulse until smooth. Pour on top of the crust.
In a medium-sized bowl, make the crumble topping by adding the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Add the butter the lazy way by grating it straight in the bowl, or small dice the butter and add it to the bowl. Using your fingers, roll the butter pieces in with the flour, you are done when the mixture looks like sand with larger pieces mixed in. Pour everything on top of the cheesecake layer.
Bake for 36 minutes or until cheesecake is very slightly jiggly in the center. Let cool on the counter for 20 minutes, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours until set. Cut into 9 even sized bars.

Made these cheesecake bars? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell us how they turned out in the comments below. Your feedback helps other bakers.

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This recipe was shared by Dana. Visit her blog, ThisSillyGirlsKitchen.com, for more recipes.