Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Graham cracker crust on the bottom, cheesecake in the middle, chocolate chip cookie dough on the top,  what can go wrong with a recipe like this? NOTHING. I know, I know, you are still supposed to be eating healthy after the holidays, right. Well that's not totally true. You have to treat yourself every once in a while. This is just the recipe to do it with and then you can get back on the wagon. For my taste I would enjoy a few less chocolate chips, but that's just my taste, so I'm amending the recipe to read 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips depending on your taste. You can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips.





Ingredients:

FOR THE CRUST
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tablespoons butter, melted

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH
5 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1/2 to 1 cup semi sweet or milk chocolate chips, depending on your taste

FOR THE CHEESE CAKE FILLING
10 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8 inch square baking pan or glass dish with parchment paper allowing a little overhang and spray with cooking spray. If you don't have parchment paper just spray the pan or glass dish. Set aside.

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. Do not turn oven off.

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.

In mixer bowl 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.

Grab handfuls of chocolate chip cookie dough and squeeze hands to clump dough together and then crumble it over the cheesecake batter until all is covered.

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 jiggle. Put pan on cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Lift the bars out by the overhang; slice into desired size and store in refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature. I kind of liked them right in the middle, just a little cool.

Recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction

Comments

Stacie said…
You are up blogging at 6am? Go back to bed!
xoxoxox
Kathy said…
I'm not up and posting at 6am. I decided to put my posts on automatic scheduling. Ha, ha, maybe I should change the time.
Aweesome blog you have here