cookie dough cheesecake bars

if you follow me on facebook, you may have noticed a couple weeks ago that my fearless homemaker page hit a milestone – 1,000 Likes! i was so excited – thank you all! to celebrate, i sauntered over to our local bakery + treated myself to one of their scrumptious treats: a brownie cookie cheesecake bar. holy moly, it was flippin’ incredible! i knew i wanted to try to recreate something similar at home. so, this weekend, i found a recipe for cookie dough cheesecake bars + decided to give it a try.

so, how did they turn out? no joke, this might be one of the tastiest desserts i’ve ever made. they’re swoon-worthy: rich, decadent, + awesome. everything works perfectly: the buttery graham cracker crust, the smooth, velvety cheesecake layer, + the crumbly, flavorful cookie dough topping. put those three together, + you have yourself one seriously delicious dessert. i have no idea how many calories are in each bar, but i’m guessing it’s a lot, + i assure you, it’s worth it! so, next time you’re looking for a new dessert that looks as gorgeous as it tastes wonderful, give these a try!

this recipe is also linked up at foodie friends friday!

cookie dough cheesecake bars

makes 12 bars, adapted from my baking addiction

ingredients

for the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the chocolate chip cookie dough layer:
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
1 cup chocolate chips

for the cheesecake layer:
10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions

preheat the oven to 325 F. line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil allowing a little overhang + spray with nonstick cooking spray. set aside.

mix the melted butter + 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 your 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 + vanilla until smooth + thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. mix in the flour on low speed, + mix until just incorporated. mix in the chocolate chips. set aside.

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 + sugar until smooth. mix in the egg + vanilla on low speed just until incorporated.

pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. using your hand to form clumps, flatten handfuls of dough in your palms. distribute the flattened sections of cookie dough on top of the cheesecake batter. be sure to use all of the dough.

bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry + firm (the cookie dough) + the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. move bars to a cooling rack + allow to cool completely.

lift the bars out of the pan by pulling on the parchment/foil overhang; slice into 12 bars + store in the refrigerator. serve cold or at room temperature

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