Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars Recipe

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Increase your hand for those who love cheesecake and chocolate chip cookies! Then these cookie dough cheesecake bars are a dream come true for you. With a buttery graham cracker crust, a layer of dreamy, creamy cheesecake, and chocolate chip cookie dough baked proper into the highest, you’ll completely flip over this dessert!

Three cookie dough cheesecake bars stacked on a white plate.

Typically I sit and ponder scrumptious baked items to make for the weblog and jot them into the notes app on my telephone. And generally I feel my concepts are totally genius – properly, momentarily genius, that’s.

As quickly as I google my sensible thought, I normally discover that another person had the identical superb thought lengthy earlier than I did.

That was the precise state of affairs with these cookie dough cheesecake bars. It’s no marvel somebody got here up with this deliciousness earlier than me!

I imply, are you able to consider a extra superb mixture than the love youngster of cheesecake and chocolate chip cookies? I feel not!

Now granted, I’ve made loads of cheesecake recipes earlier than. What can I say? I’m a giant fan! However these cheesecake bars are one thing particular they usually’re positively totally different from a lot of the different cookie bar recipes you’ll discover on the market.

The buttery graham cracker crust is the right basis for layers of creamy cheesecake and chewy chocolate chip cookie dough. How might you NOT fall in love with a dessert like this one??

Sliced batch of cookie dough cheesecake bars on a white board in front of a cup of coffee.

As you may see from the layers of taste in these bars, there’s rather a lot occurring right here.

Working from the underside up, we’ve graham cracker crumbs and melted butter for the crust.

It is a slight variation on the basic graham cracker crust since this one doesn’t have any added sugar in it. It’s a easy piece of this cheesecake bar puzzle to throw collectively and it makes these bars an in depth relative to a full-size cheesecake.

I say this as a result of a few of the different recipes for cookie dough cheesecake bars you see on the market have a base layer of cookie dough. Whereas I’m positive that’s superb – I imply, it’s cookie dough! – it doesn’t scream “cheesecake bar” to me, ya know?

Shifting on, the center layer is allll concerning the cheesecake. And I’ve made a basic one right here with cream cheese, sugar, an egg, and vanilla. It’s rather a lot like my vanilla cheesecake the truth is, however there’s no heavy cream on this filling.

For the cookie dough layer on high, I made my very own cookie dough to marry with this cheesecake batter.

Sure, there are recipes on the market for bars like these that use pre-made cookie dough. And you would completely go that route for these bars!

However for those who’ve been round MBA for lengthy sufficient, you’ll know that I do know my manner round a cookie. I might by no means steer you mistaken on a cookie dough recipe. So make your individual – it’s simple sufficient!

Once you get all three layers collectively, you get the slight tanginess from the cheesecake, the gooey chocolate, the buttery graham cracker crust—it’s one decadent chunk.

Serve these cheesecake bars up with a glass of ice-cold milk and like magic, all the things will appear somewhat bit higher!

Okay, so I can’t actually assure these will brighten your temper, however belief me – if there’s a meals that may, it’s these cookie dough cheesecake bars.

And for those who’ve bought cheesecake bar recipes on the thoughts (you’re not alone!), I feel you may also actually love blueberry cheesecake bars, oreo cheesecake bars, and pumpkin cheesecake bars.

Don’t make me select which one I like finest!

Two cookie dough cheesecake bars stacked on a white plate, with a bite taken from the corner of the top bar.

Though it is a multi-step recipe, it’s easy to prep and it’s just about the right consolation meals.

Elements you’ll want

For the crust, you solely want 2 components:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

You’ll be able to crush your individual graham cracker crumbs utilizing a meals processor, however you can even purchase containers of graham cracker crumbs. It’s as much as you!

Subsequent up is the chocolate chip cookie dough. For that, you have to:

8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
⅓ cup packed gentle brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoonsalt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Ingredients for cookie dough cheesecake bars arranged on a marble counter.

Ensure you know methods to measure flour earlier than you get began on this. It’ll assist your bars to return out good each time.

I like the richness that brown sugar provides to the cookie dough right here. If you’re out of brown sugar, whip up a fast brown sugar substitute to make use of as an alternative.

In case your brown sugar hardened within the pantry, try my suggestions for softening brown sugar.

This wouldn’t be cookie dough cheesecake with out a cheesecake filling! For that you’ll want:

8 ounces room-temperature cream cheese
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 giant room-temperature egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Utilizing room temperature cream cheese and egg actually does make a distinction within the texture of the ultimate cheesecake layer. For those who neglect to set yours out, I’ve some suggestions for softening cream cheese and bringing eggs to room temperature shortly.

Making this recipe

Seize your favourite 9×9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment or foil. Ensure you go away an overhang so you may elevate the bars out later. Spray with nonstick spray and set the pan apart.

Graham cracker crust in the bottom of a square cake pan.

Make the crust by mixing the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press this combination into the underside of the pan and bake at 325°F for six minutes.

Set the crust apart to chill however don’t flip the oven off but.

Butter and sugar beaten together in a white bowl.

Now make the cookie dough layer. Utilizing a mixer, cream the butter, sugars, salt, and vanilla till properly mixed. Combine within the flower on low pace till simply mixed, then stir within the chocolate chips.

Cheesecake filling mixed in a white bowl.

For the cheesecake layer, use a mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar till easy. Add the egg and vanilla till simply mixed.

Pour the cheesecake filling onto the crust.

Use your arms to type the cookie dough into clumps, then flatten the clumps a bit together with your palms. Place the cookie dough on high of the cheesecake filling, ensuring to make use of all the dough.

Assembled cookie dough cheesecake bars, ready to go in the oven.

Bake the bars for half-hour. They’re finished when the highest feels dry and the cookie dough feels agency. Your complete pan ought to look set if given a mild shake.

Let the bars cool fully on a rack earlier than slicing and having fun with chilly or at room temperature.

Close up of a cookie dough cheesecake bar leaning on other sliced bars on a white board.

Useful suggestions

Don’t skip lining the pan with a bit of parchment paper or foil. The liner will show you how to pull the slab of bars out of the pan, which is required to be able to reduce them neatly.
Be sure your components are at room temperature. It will assist them to combine correctly into the varied elements of the recipe.
Seize a 1-cup measuring cup for the crust layer. Use the underside of a 1-cup measuring cup or a large glass to press the graham cracker crumbs into the pan. This trick will make this step a lot quicker and neater than attempting to press the crumbs together with your fingers.
Take your time including the cookie dough layer. Flatten clumps of the dough together with your arms after which lay the items gently onto high of the cheesecake filling. You received’t be capable to unfold the cookie dough on high. And dropping items of it into the filling will simply make a giant mess. Take your time right here.

Storage

Assuming there are any of those cookie dough cheesecake bars left after you serve them, you’ll wish to hold the leftovers within the fridge in an hermetic container or on a plate that’s tightly wrapped with plastic wrap.

Within the fridge, the bars will final about 2 days. After 2 days, the crust will begin to soften a bit.

Cake server holding up a cookie dough cheesecake bar.

Ceaselessly requested questions

Do I want to make use of a water tub when baking these bars?

Cheesecake bars don’t want a water tub! Yay!!

I just about use a water tub every time I make a full-size cheesecake, however there’s no want to make use of one once you make cheesecake bars. The reason being that the cheesecake layer is a lot thinner within the bars that it’ll prepare dinner faster and extra evenly than the filling in a full-size cheesecake, even with out a water tub.

How are you aware when the bars are finished baking?

You’ll know when these bars are finished when the cookie dough layer is agency to the contact and golden brown. It’ll look similar to baked cookies!

And once you jiggle the pan, the middle of the bars ought to be set with out a lot motion in any respect.

How did you chop these bars into such neat squares?

The age-old trick for slicing cheesecake into neat slices is to make use of a scorching, sharp knife.

Now, as a result of the cheesecake layer in these bars isn’t extraordinarily thick, you shouldn’t have any bother slicing by way of it neatly however you’ll positively want a pointy knife to chop by way of the highest cookie layer.

Earlier than you chop the absolutely cooled bars, make sure to pull them out of the pan and place them on a slicing board. Then, utilizing a protracted, sharp knife or a chrome steel dough scraper (this works nice!), reduce firmly down from the highest of the bars to the underside in a swift movement.

Attempt to not noticed by way of the bars as a result of that may pull on the cheesecake and cookie layers, making sloppy squares.

Relying on what number of servings you need, you may simply reduce these bars into 9 giant or 12 smaller squares.

For the cheesecake filling:

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line (1) 9-inch sq. baking pan with parchment paper or foil, permitting somewhat overhang, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Put aside.
Combine the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs till completely mixed. Press the combination into the underside of the ready pan. Bake in preheated oven for six minutes. Take away pan to a cooling rack. Don’t flip your oven off.
Whereas the crust is cooling, put together the chocolate chip cookie dough. Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a big bowl with an electrical mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla till easy and completely mixed, about 1 minute. Combine within the flour on low pace, and blend till simply integrated. Combine within the chocolate chips. Put aside.
Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a big bowl with an electrical mixer cream collectively the cream cheese and sugar till easy. Combine within the egg and vanilla on low pace simply till integrated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the ready crust.
Use your hand to type the cookie dough into clumps, then flatten barely together with your palms. Distribute the cookie dough onto the highest of the cheesecake batter. Make sure to use all the dough. You’ll cowl a lot of the cheesecake batter.
Bake for about half-hour, till the highest feels dry and the cookie dough feels agency and your entire pan appears set if given a mild shake. Transfer bars to a cooling rack and permit to chill fully.
Carry the bars out by the overhang; slice into desired dimension serve chilly or at room temperature.

Retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2 days.

Serving: 1bar, Energy: 373kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 3g, Fats: 24g, Saturated Fats: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g, Monounsaturated Fats: 5g, Trans Fats: 0.5g, Ldl cholesterol: 65mg, Sodium: 233mg, Potassium: 110mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 653IU, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 1mg

Diet info is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.

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