Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars
These Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars have a homemade chocolate chip cookie crust with a delicious vanilla cheesecake middle with pieces of cookie dough baked on top. It's the perfect treat for anyone that loves cookies and cheesecake!
Sometimes making treats for the family gets boring and these delicious chocolate chip cookie cheesecake bars are the perfect blend of two classics into something new and exciting!
Make these tasty treats for a special dessert, after-school snack, or any time you want a handheld sweet. They will work perfectly for your next party or event!
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars
For this dessert, you will mix the chocolate chip cookie dough first and then use the chilled dough as the base for the cheesecake. This makes a nice firm layer for the bar. Extra cookie dough is also mixed into the cheesecake batter for an effect similar to cookie dough ice cream but in cheesecake.
Ingredients for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Butter - This needs to be room temperature so be sure to set it out ahead of time.
Light Brown Sugar - Offers a more mild flavor than dark brown sugar which is perfect for this dessert.
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Egg - Just one for the cookie dough.
Vanilla Extract - Use the real stuff.
All-purpose Flour - You can use regular all-purpose flour or any gluten-free one-for-one flour.
Baking Soda - Make sure you have fresh baking soda, it only lasts for about six months in the cabinet.
Chocolate Chips - You can use the chips of your choice, and they will work.
Ingredients for the Cheesecake
Cream Cheese - This also needs to be room temperature so you can set it out with the butter.
Granulated Sugar - White sugar.
Sour Cream - Adds a tangy richness to the cheesecake for a perfect balance.
Vanilla extract - Imitation vanilla is just not the same.
Eggs - You will need three more for this part of the recipe, for four total eggs.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars
This recipe is surprisingly easy. First, you will mix the chocolate chip cookie dough and chill it. While it is chilling you can mix up the cheesecake batter and get that ready. Then the two are combined and baked for a delicious bar.
Step 1
Here's what it looks like step-by-step. First, preheat the oven and get your pan prepared with parchment paper. Then, start the cookie dough by mixing the brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Next, add the flour and baking soda and mix until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge.
Step 2
While the chocolate chip dough is chilling, start working on the cheesecake batter. Add the cream cheese and granulated sugar to a mixing bowl and combine. Beat it until smooth. This takes about one minute.
Then add the sour cream and vanilla and beat to combine again. Finally, add the eggs one at a time, beating until combined, and don't forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each egg addition.
Step 3
To assemble the chocolate chip cookie cheesecake bars, you will use ¾ of the cookie dough as the base pressing it into the pan. Pour the cheesecake batter in next. Tap the pan a few times on the counter to remove bubbles.
Step 4
Crumble up the remaining cookie dough over the top and add a couple of tablespoons of extra chocolate chips. Bake the bars for 45 minutes or so and then cool. Chill overnight before serving.
Tips for Best Results
After pouring in the cheesecake batter, make sure you tap the pan a few times on the counter to remove bubbles. Otherwise, you will have an inconsistent cheesecake texture after it is baked.
Don't overbeat the flour/dry ingredients as you add them to the cookie dough wet ingredients. This will result in a more tough cookie. Beat the flour into the wet ingredients on the lowest setting and stop as soon as the two are incorporated.
How to store Cookie Cheesecake Bars
Extra cheesecake bars should be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days.
If you're freezing the chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars, wrap them tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag or freezer container.
To defrost the frozen cheesecake bars, place them in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can use any one-for-one all-purpose gluten-free flour in the cookie dough for great results.
Yes. Chilling any cheesecake will deepen the flavor and make the dessert more palatable both in texture and taste.
The homemade cookie dough is butter, but yes. You may have dough leftover that you can bake off for regular chocolate chip cookies.
More Great Treats to Enjoy
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup chocolate chips additional 1 to 2 tablespoons for top
Cheesecake
- 24 ounces (3 bricks) cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ full-fat cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x9 square pan with parchment paper and set it aside. Binder Clips work great to hold the sides of the parchment paper overhang down.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and brown sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Mix on medium until the egg is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the flour and baking soda to the wet ingredients. Beat on low until most of the flour is worked into the dough then turn the mixer to medium and beat just until the flour is worked into the cookie dough.
- Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge while working on the cheesecake batter.
Cheesecake
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the cream cheese and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla. Continue to beat until combined.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, beat until each egg is incorporated and then scrape down the sides of the bowl before adding the next.
Assemble the Bars
- Press ¾ of the chilled cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the cookie dough crust. Spread out and give the pan a few gentle taps to remove any air bubbles from the cheesecake batter.
- Crumble the remaining cookie dough over the top of the cheesecake batter.
- Sprinkle in a few additional chocolate chips, about 1 to 2 tablespoons.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is set up and doesn’t move when the pan is jiggled.
- Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature before transferring the pan to the fridge to chill overnight.
- Cut the cheesecake bars into 9 bars.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
