Snickerdoodle bars with chai spice cream cheese frosting are a fall-flavored twist on the classic flavors of a soft and chewy, cinnamon-spiced Snickerdoodle bar with the warmth of chai spices in a creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting. Ready for a new favorite dessert?
Snickerdoodles are one of my top 3 favorite cookies. The soft chewy texture and warm cinnamon flavor are a magical combination in my humble opinion. I turned them into bars because, quite simply, bars are easier than cookies and the chewy texture of a Snickerdoodle is a perfect match for bar recipes. A few years ago I started making pumpkin snickerdoodles with a cream cheese frosting in the early fall to change things up a bit before making traditional Snickerdoodles at Christmastime. However, like many others, I have overdosed on pumpkin everything these last few years and I needed another change. Enter Chai Spice! Its flavor is more complex than pumpkin spice. It's warmer, deeper, and more fragrant. Chai spice is perfect in a decadent, sweet, cream cheese frosting to compliment these cinnamony cookie bars!
If you still need your hit of pumpkin this fall, try these pumpkin bars!
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Ingredients
chai spice cream cheese frosting
- cream cheese, room temperature
- unsalted butter, room temperature
- confectioners sugar
- spices: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves and allspice
snickerdoodle bars
- all-purpose flour
- cream of tartar
- baking soda
- unsalted butter, room temperature
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs, room temperature
- vanilla
- cinnamon
- salt
See the recipe card below for quantities.
How to make Snickerdoodle Bars with Chai Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
- Step 1: Cream the butter and sugars using a mixer until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 2: Mix in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.
- Step 3: Whisk together dry ingredients; flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.
- Step 4: Add dry ingredients to wet and mix on low until combined.
- Step 5: Line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease the pan with a baking spray. Spread the dough into an even layer in the pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Do not overbake.
- Step 6: For frosting, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix on high until combined and smooth. Use a teaspoon of milk at a time to thin out as desired. Allow the bars to cool completely before frosting.
Hint: For the frosting, be sure to allow the butter and cream cheese to be fully at room temperature. The frosting will not be smooth unless it can be creamed when fully soft.
Variations
Cream cheese frosting can be turned into any number of delicious flavors! Replace the chai spice combination in the recipe with any of these great flavor combinations for yummy Snickerdoodle bars.
- Pumpkin spice - Scale back the warmth of the chai spice flavors with a simple pumpkin spice blend. Omit the cardamom, allspice, and cloves.
- Cinnamon espresso - Stir 3 grams of espresso granules into 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add the vanilla espresso mixture and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Orange spice - 1 teaspoon orange extract, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.
- Maple - Add 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of maple extract.
Equipment
Because these bars should not be crispy on the edges, I find that baking them in an 8x8 glass baking dish works best. Metal pans tend to crisp up the edges more quickly than glass.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. These bars can also be frozen, without frosting, for up to 3 months. Make frosting and top after they've thawed in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Top Tip
The key to these bars is NOT to overbake them. In fact, ever so slightly undertaking them is the best way to keep them chewy and soft for a few days. The bars will continue to bake for a few minutes when they come out of the oven. So remove them when there is still very little color in the center. The middle should be soft but not wet.
FAQ
Yes, you can substitute the cream of tartar with lemon juice or vinegar. Replace ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
Yes! The texture will vary slightly from the recipe as written but you can substitute a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour. Use vegan butter in place of real butter for a dairy-free recipe. Lastly, use an egg substitute in place of eggs for vegan Snickerdoodle bars.
Allow the bars to cool completely on a wire rack for approximately 1 hour. Cut bars with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between each but.
Related
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Recipe
Snickerdoodle Bars with Chai Spice Frosting
Ingredients
Snickerdoodle Bars
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 grams)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chai Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 cups confectioners sugar (260 grams)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Mix in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a small bowl; flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix on low until combined.
- Line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease the pan with a baking spray. Spread the dough into an even layer in the pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Do not overbake.
- For frosting, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix on high until combined and smooth. Use a teaspoon of milk at a time to thin out as desired. Allow the bars to cool completely, and remove them from the pan before frosting. To slice, use a sharp knife and wipe down the blade between each slice.
Anonymous says
Delicious
Michael says
Snickerdoodle and chai? Who would have thought? Great combination