If there's one thing I love about Christmas baking, it's finding fun ways to combine classic holiday flavors into something a little different! These Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars bring together a buttery cinnamon roll crust, rich and creamy gingerbread cheesecake, and a sweet cinnamon crumble. As if that wasn't enough, they're finished with the cutest little homemade mini cinnamon rolls and a drizzle of vanilla icing!
The best part? You don't have to make cinnamon roll dough from scratch! We're using refrigerated Pillsbury cinnamon rolls to keep things simple and budget-friendly while still creating a dessert that looks like it came straight from a bakery.
These festive cheesecake bars are perfect for Christmas parties, holiday gatherings, cookie exchanges, or simply enjoying a sweet treat with your family during the holiday season!
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that we're using many of the same ingredients throughout the different layers. Brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour are used more than once, which helps keep the ingredient list manageable!
Refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls: I used Pillsbury cinnamon rolls with icing. These create the base of our cheesecake bars, and we'll also use some of the dough to make our miniature cinnamon roll decorations.
Butter: A little melted butter adds extra richness to the cinnamon roll crust.
Cream Cheese: You'll need two 8-ounce blocks of softened cream cheese. Full-fat cream cheese works best for a rich and creamy texture.
Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a warm molasses flavor that pairs perfectly with the gingerbread spices.
Eggs: Help the cheesecake filling set while keeping it creamy.
Molasses: Gives the cheesecake its signature gingerbread flavor and beautiful golden-brown color. Use regular unsulphured molasses rather than blackstrap molasses, which has a much stronger flavor.
Vanilla Extract: Adds a little extra sweetness and balances the warm spices.
Ground Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves: These are the spices that give our cheesecake that cozy Christmas flavor!
All-Purpose Flour: Helps give the cheesecake filling a little extra structure.
All-Purpose Flour: Creates the base of our buttery crumble topping.
Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create that delicious crumbly texture.
Ground Cinnamon: Gives the crumble a warm cinnamon sugar flavor.
Cold Butter: Creates those little buttery crumbs that bake into a golden topping.
Mini Cinnamon Rolls: Made from our refrigerated cinnamon roll dough! They're surprisingly simple to make and give these cheesecake bars such a fun finishing touch.
Vanilla Icing: We'll use the icing included with the cinnamon rolls, so there's no need to make a separate batch!
Start by preheating your oven to 325°F and lining an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Cut your refrigerated cinnamon rolls in half and arrange enough pieces in the bottom of the baking dish to create a crust. Gently press the pieces together so they cover the bottom of the pan.
Brush with melted butter and prebake for approximately 12–15 minutes, or until the dough begins to set.
The cinnamon rolls may puff up slightly while baking, so you can gently press them back down before adding the cheesecake filling.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy.
Add the molasses, vanilla extract, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and flour. Mix until everything is well combined.
Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until incorporated.
Try not to overmix once you've added the eggs. Too much air in the filling can cause the cheesecake to rise and crack while baking.
Pour the gingerbread cheesecake filling over the partially baked cinnamon roll crust and spread it into an even layer.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the crumble.
Add the cold, cubed butter and use a fork to work it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle the cinnamon crumble evenly over the cheesecake filling.
Bake the cheesecake at 325°F for approximately 40–50 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle.
The cheesecake will continue to firm up as it cools, so you don't want to overbake it.
Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for approximately one hour before transferring it to the refrigerator to chill for at least four hours, preferably overnight.
Now for my favorite part of this recipe!
The Pillsbury cinnamon rolls I used weren't the kind that easily unroll into long strips. They're more like little biscuits, so I came up with another way to make our miniature cinnamon rolls.
Take one of the reserved cinnamon roll dough pieces and place it between two sheets of parchment paper.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out very thin.
Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and carefully cut the flattened dough into thin strips.
Starting at one end, roll each strip into a tiny spiral to create miniature cinnamon rolls.
Place them on a separate parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
I baked mine on their own sheet pan while the cheesecake was baking. Because they're so small, keep a close eye on them and remove them once they're golden brown and cooked through.
Allow them to cool completely before decorating the cheesecake bars.
Once the cheesecake has chilled completely, lift it out of the baking dish using the parchment paper.
Cut into 12 bars using a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts for neat slices.
Arrange the miniature cinnamon rolls over the tops of the bars.
Finish everything with a drizzle of the vanilla icing that came with your refrigerated cinnamon rolls.
And that's it! You've got the cutest little Christmas cheesecake bars!
Soften your cream cheese. This is one of the easiest ways to get a smooth cheesecake filling without lumps. Cold cream cheese is much harder to mix!
Don't skip prebaking the cinnamon roll crust. Since we're adding a thick cheesecake layer on top, giving the dough a head start helps prevent an underbaked crust.
Roll the miniature cinnamon rolls thin. Remember, the dough will puff up as it bakes! The thinner your strips, the smaller your cinnamon rolls will be.
Use cold butter for the crumble. Cold butter helps create those delicious little crumbly pieces instead of turning the topping into a paste.
Don't overbake the cheesecake. The center should still have a slight jiggle when you remove it from the oven.
Chill completely before slicing. I know it's tempting to cut into them right away, but chilling helps the cheesecake firm up and makes the layers much easier to see.
Add your miniature cinnamon rolls last. I recommend decorating the cheesecake bars shortly before serving so the little cinnamon rolls don't become too soft from the moisture in the cheesecake.
Absolutely! In fact, I recommend it.
Since cheesecake needs several hours to chill, this is a great recipe to prepare the day before your holiday gathering.
You can bake the cheesecake, allow it to cool, and refrigerate it overnight.
The miniature cinnamon rolls can also be baked ahead of time. Just store them separately in an airtight container at room temperature once they've cooled completely.
When you're ready to serve, slice the cheesecake into bars, add your miniature cinnamon rolls, and finish with a drizzle of icing.
Refrigerator: Store leftover cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer: You can freeze the undecorated cheesecake bars for up to 2 months. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container.
When you're ready to enjoy them, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add the miniature cinnamon rolls and icing before serving.
Yes! You can use another brand of refrigerated cinnamon rolls, but keep in mind that the size and texture of the dough may vary.
Some cinnamon rolls easily unroll into strips, while others have a more biscuit-like texture. Either can work, but you may need to adjust how you prepare the miniature decorations.
Molasses is one of the ingredients that gives gingerbread its signature flavor, so I recommend using it if possible.
If you leave it out, the cheesecake will still have warm cinnamon and ginger flavors, but it won't taste quite as much like traditional gingerbread.
The edges should look set, while the center should still have a slight jiggle when you gently move the pan.
The cheesecake will continue to firm up as it cools and chills in the refrigerator.
Cheesecake can crack from overmixing, overbaking, or cooling too quickly.
Fortunately, we're covering ours with cinnamon crumble, miniature cinnamon rolls, and icing, so small cracks won't be noticeable!
You can, but you'll need to adjust the ingredient quantities and baking time. For the thick cheesecake layer shown in this recipe, I recommend sticking with an 8×8-inch baking dish.
One of my favorite things about holiday baking is creating treats that look special without spending a fortune on ingredients.
These Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars are a great example! By using refrigerated cinnamon rolls for both the crust and decorations, we're getting two uses out of one ingredient while creating something that looks extra festive.
Whether you're making these for a Christmas party, a cookie exchange, or just a cozy night at home, I hope your family enjoys them as much as mine!
And don't forget to check out the rest of my 12 Days of Budget-Friendly Christmas Treats for more fun and affordable holiday baking ideas!
These Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars are the ultimate Christmas dessert! Made with an easy refrigerated cinnamon roll crust, a rich and creamy gingerbread cheesecake filling, and a buttery cinnamon sugar crumble, they're bursting with cozy holiday flavors. Topped with adorable homemade mini cinnamon rolls and a sweet vanilla icing drizzle, these festive cheesecake bars are as fun to make as they are to eat!
