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Every once in a while I’ll have a few days where all I want to do is bake. This past weekend was one of those times, and I searched through all my food pins on Pinterest to find one or two I could make with what I had in the pantry.

Planets were aligned and I found that I had everything I needed to make these amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars from Brandy’s Baking.

The only thing I was a little shy on was graham cracker crumbs, and I ended up with only a cup instead of 1-1/2 cups, but you can’t even tell. I scaled back on the butter a bit to make up for it and it worked very well.

They were a little involved because you’re making three different parts (crust, cheesecake, and cookie dough), but my girls and I had fun with it and the result was absolutely worth it.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
from Brandy’s Baking and My Baking Addiction

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:

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

[originally posted at Pinspired.org]

Posted in Baking, Bars, Chocolate Bytes, Desserts

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