Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Hello!!

I have one last post before I leave for vacation for a week!! This time I decided to venture away from cupcakes (oh no!). Basically, I had a craving for this and I happen to have all the ingredients in my kitchen so…why not?! These are called Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars. I don’t know about you, but I’m a girl who loves her cookie dough AND cheesecake; and putting them together in an easy to eat bar?! Perfect! What we have here is a graham cracker crust bottom topped with a plain cheesecake layer, which is then topped with cookie dough. There are three separate layers to this recipe, which can make it tedious but overall it’s fairly easy to make. So let’s get baking!

For the graham cracker crust you will need:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

First you want to preheat that oven to 325 degrees.  Then line an 8×8 pan with foil or parchment paper with some overhang, and spray with nonstick baking spray.

Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined.

 

Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Leave your oven on while you prepare the dough.

For the Cookie Dough you will need:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup chocolate chips

While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside.

For the Cheesecake layer you will need:

10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated.

Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. NOTE: At this step I spread out the cheesecake layer, but I believe it would have worked better it I just dropped it on like you do with the cookie dough.

Using your hand to form clumps, distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. Be sure to use all of the dough.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least a couple hours.

Lift the bars out by the overhang and cut into squares for serving.

Here you have the finish product. A yummy combination of graham cracker, cheesecake and cookie dough! I will copy the recipe below and hopefully you will take a shot at this yummy dessert. Happy Baking!

As always, leave comments and questions below!

 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:
10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8″ square baking pan with parchment paper or foil allowing a little overhang and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Leave your oven on while you prepare the dough.
3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Using your hand to form clumps, distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. Be sure to use all of the dough.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least a couple hours.
6. Lift the bars out by the overhang and cut into squares for serving.