Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal. While the oven preheats, measure out all your ingredients and bring the cream cheese, butter, and eggs to room temperature—this ensures smooth mixing and better texture in both the cheesecake and cookie dough layers. Mix together the 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside for topping.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. I find that slightly overmixing the dough here actually helps it hold together better when layering, so don't be shy about stirring it thoroughly.

In another bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar together until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the 2 room-temperature eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing until everything is well combined and there are no lumps. For the best cheesecake texture, I always make sure the filling is completely smooth before it goes into the pan—any lumps of cream cheese will bake unevenly.

Spread about two-thirds of the cookie dough from Step 2 evenly across the prepared pan, pressing it into the corners and smoothing the surface. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture from Step 1 over the dough layer. Pour the cheesecake filling from Step 3 over the cinnamon sugar and smooth it gently with a spatula or offset knife. Break the remaining cookie dough into small pieces and scatter them across the top of the cheesecake layer, spacing them so some cheesecake peeks through. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top. The pieces of dough will expand and merge slightly during baking, creating a marbled appearance.

Place the pan in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the cheesecake is set but still slightly jiggly in the very center (it will continue to set as it cools). The edges should pull away slightly from the pan. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack—at least 2 hours, or until completely at room temperature. I recommend chilling them for a few hours in the refrigerator before cutting; this helps the cheesecake layer stay intact and gives you clean, crisp edges. Cut into squares and serve.