Description
Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Bars combine two classic desserts into one delightful square of pure happiness. Creamy cheesecake nestled between buttery sugar cookie layers will make your taste buds dance with pure joy.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 32 oz cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (Sugar Cookie Crust)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (Cookie Dough Balls)
- 1 cup cane sugar (Sugar Cookie Crust)
- 1 cup cane sugar (Cookie Dough Balls)
- 1 cup cane sugar (Cheesecake)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (Sugar Cookie Crust)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (Cookie Dough Balls)
Binding and Flavor Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ¾ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 5 tablespoons milk
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (Sugar Cookie Crust)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (Cookie Dough Balls)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (Cheesecake)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (Sugar Cookie Crust)
- ½ teaspoon salt (Cookie Dough Balls)
- ⅓ cup Christmas sprinkles (Sugar Cookie Crust)
- ⅓ cup Christmas sprinkles (Cookie Dough Balls)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Mix 1 ¾ cups flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Set the mixture aside for your crust preparation.
- Cream ¾ cup butter and 1 cup sugar at high speed for 2 minutes in a mixer. The mixture should look light and fluffy.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 whole egg, and 1 egg yolk to the butter mixture. Blend until completely incorporated.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture on low speed. Stop mixing as soon as ingredients are combined.
- Gently stir in ⅓ cup Christmas sprinkles. Do not overmix the dough.
- Press the prepared dough evenly into a 9-inch springform pan coated with nonstick spray.
- Bake the crust at 350℉ for 25-30 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.
- Create cookie dough balls by rolling 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 5 tablespoons milk, and ⅓ cup sprinkles into small dime-sized spheres.
- Freeze the cookie dough balls until firm on a wax paper-lined tray.
- Lower oven temperature to 325℉ and prepare a water bath by boiling water.
- Beat 32 oz cream cheese and ⅔ cup sugar at high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl midway through mixing.
- Incorporate ¾ cup sour cream, ½ cup heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla on medium speed until smooth.
- Add 4 eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Fold ⅔ of the frozen cookie dough balls into the cheesecake mixture using a spatula.
- Pour cheesecake filling over the cooled crust in the springform pan.
- Place springform pan inside a larger cake pan, then inside a roasting pan filled halfway with hot water.
- Wrap the springform pan tightly with aluminum foil before placing in the water bath.
- Bake at 325℉ for 80-90 minutes. The edges should be set and the center slightly jiggly.
- Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool inside with the door slightly open for 30 minutes.
- Transfer cheesecake to a cooling rack, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
- Create white chocolate ganache by heating ⅓ cup heavy cream until steaming.
- Pour hot cream over 1 cup white chocolate chips. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Remove cheesecake from springform pan and pour ganache over the top.
- Freeze the cheesecake for 10 minutes to set the ganache.
- Decorate with remaining cookie dough balls and extra sprinkles before serving.
Notes
- Freezing the cookie dough balls helps them maintain shape and prevents sinking into the cheesecake during baking.
- Always use room temperature cream cheese and eggs to ensure a smooth, lump-free cheesecake filling that blends perfectly.
- The water bath is crucial for preventing cracks and creating a silky, creamy texture in your cheesecake.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend and ensure your sprinkles are gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 55 minutes - 2 hours 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 16
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg