King Cake Cheesecake Bars

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Layer:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 to 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 4 tablespoons milk or cream, room temperature

For the Cheesecake:

• 16 ounces cream cheese, very soft
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

For the Glaze and Topping:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk or cream
• Purple, green, and yellow sanding sugar

To make the Cinnamon-Sugar Layer:

1. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
2. Pour in melted butter, mixing to combine. Set mixture aside.

To make the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x9 pan with baking spray, line with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk flour, sugar, and salt.
3. Cut the butter into the dry-ingredients until it’s a crumbly sand-like mixture.
4. Add in milk and mix until combined and starts to look like cookie dough.
5. Press the dough into the prepared pan, making sure it’s evenly distributed. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, set aside.

To make the Cheesecake:

1. Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bowl frequently.
3. Add in sugar, cream, flour, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Scrape the bowl as needed to get a well combined, lump-free mixture. Don’t over mix the batter on a high speed.
4. Press the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of the crust. Pour the cheesecake mixture on top, spreading evenly. Gently tap the pan to remove any air bubbles.
5. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the sides are starting to look golden and the filling is mostly set but still slightly jiggly.
6. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for 1 hour before removing to cool completely to room temperature. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.
7. Once cooled, slice into bars. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set a wire rack on top.

To make the Glaze:

1. In a bowl whisk the powdered sugar and milk until smooth and lump free.
2. Pour glaze over each bar, garnish the bars with a mix of purple, green, and yellow sprinkles. Let the glaze set before storing in a plastic container.