Gingerbread Cookie Cheesecake Bars
 
Makes 12 bars
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups (340 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1¼ cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (165 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup (170 grams) unsulphured molasses
  • 2 large eggs (100 grams)
  • 4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground ginger
  • 1½ teaspoons (4.5 grams) kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3 tablespoons (33 grams) minced candied ginger
  • Cheesecake Layer (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add molasses, beating until no streaks remain. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating just until combined. Beat in candied ginger.
  4. Spread 3¾ cups (about 1,000 grams) dough in prepared pan. Top with Cheesecake Layer. Crumble remaining dough (about 2 cups [563 grams]) on top.
  5. Bake 50 to 55 minutes until edges are set, center jiggles just slightly, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175°F (79°C) to 180°F (82°C), covering with foil after 35 minutes to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool completely in pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan. Trim edges, and cut into 12 bars.
Recipe by Bake from Scratch at https://bakefromscratch.com/gingerbread-cookie-cheesecake-bars/