Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Do you like cheesecake?  And who doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies?  These are the best of both worlds.  A cheesecake layer in the middle of chocolate chip cookie bars.  I saw these recently, on Pinterest? or a blog?, I can’t remember.  I think it’s Pinterest because I think I got the recipe from being led to a blog I didn’t really know.  Hey, I know, I’ll go check.

Okay, I’m not that big of a loser, the recipe is on Nicole’s blog, Heat Oven to 350 and I have heard of it, lots of delicious recipes and great photos, I just couldn’t remember until I got up, walked across the room and got the recipe I printed.  I know, the things I do for my readers! ;)  Nicole has adapted the recipe from King Arthur Flour, but a quick search over on their website and I couldn’t find anything close enough.  So, all the credit for this one goes to Nicole, and her mom’s friend, Jill. 

And you know what?  Wait for it……I didn’t change any of the ingredients in the recipe.  I know, I should have had you sit down before tell you that.  Sorry.  Make these cookie bars and you’ll forgive me.  I wanted to give the recipe a shot exactly how it is written for the first try, but I’m crazy, so I’ll change the recipe the next time I make it.  Why?  Well, I know I can make any chocolate chip cookie recipe and the bars will work, so although the recipe Nicole has provided tastes great, it has shortening and is the chocolate chip cookie recipe with vinegar.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’ve made that similar recipe before and the cookies are great.  I just try not to use shortening and since I already have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, that’s what I’ll try next time.

I’ll shut up now.  I just urge you to try this bar cookie/cheesecake cookie bar/chocolate chip cookie bar with cream cheese/whatever you want to call it—because they are THAT good. 

I’ve looked it over and thought about it, I didn’t change the recipe enough to even rewrite it.  You’ll see in Nicole’s recipe for these Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars that she mentioned the dough being a little difficult to spread in the pan.  The bottom layer wasn’t too bad.  I just dolloped it around the pan, as she suggested and spread it evenly with a spatula.  After pouring the cream cheese layer over half the cookie dough, it’s a little more difficult to spread the other half of the dough over that.  I feel I was being somewhat genius in what I did.  I spread the rest of the dough on a piece of waxed paper so it was close to the size of the pan (9x13) and stuck it in the freezer.

My idea would have worked great if I had decided to wait long enough for it to freeze, but I was somewhat pressed for time, so I only waited about  10-15 minutes.  Parts of it peeled off in nice, flat pieces, but some of it wasn’t frozen enough yet.  Can’t wait to try that again and do it right next time.  There’s nothing wrong with a little of the cheesecake mixture seeping up through the top layer of cookie dough.

These bars were great and sliced perfectly after they chilled in the fridge for a couple hours.  For removing them from the pan easily, I lined it with nonstick foil that hung over the sides. 

You just need to make these, that’s all I’m saying.