Orange-Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars

Name: Orange-Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars
Total time: 75
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 2.25 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves; 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 0.25 teaspoon ground allspice; 0.25 teaspoon salt; 0.75 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar; 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 0.5 cup molasses; 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened; 0.5 cup white sugar; 1 pinch salt; 2 eggs; 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Recipe by Kim from allrecipes.com

Dessert 1 Hr. 15 Mins.

Ingredients

20 servings

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2.25 cups all-purpose flour
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2 teaspoons ground ginger
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1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
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0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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0.25 teaspoon ground allspice
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0.25 teaspoon salt
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0.75 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
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0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened

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1 egg
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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0.5 cup molasses
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2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
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0.5 cup white sugar
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1 pinch salt
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2 eggs
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1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with enough parchment paper to have overhang on all sides. Lightly grease parchment.
Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and salt for the gingerbread in a large bowl until combined.
Cream brown sugar and butter in a separate bowl with an electric mixed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until thoroughly combined. Mix in molasses.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 separate additions, mixing only until just combined; dough will be fairly thick. Press 2/3 of the dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, using floured hands to prevent sticking.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, and salt for the filling in a large bowl until completely smooth and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and orange zest. Pour filling evenly over gingerbread crust and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle remaining gingerbread dough over the filling and gently press down.
Bake in the preheated oven until edges are set and the center of the cheesecake only slightly jiggles, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Once cooled, remove from pan using parchment "handles" and slice into bars.