These peanut butter chocolate chip cheesecake bars are dense and packed full of peanut butter and cheesecake. The bottom layer of cookie is very soft and slightly underdone.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of a 11x7 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and to hang over the two ends.
In a large mixing bowl, add in the butter and peanut butter. Mix on medium until combined.
Add in brown and granulated sugars and mix until light and fluffy. It will take 2-3 minutes of mixing.
Add in the egg and vanilla. Mix on medium until the egg is incorporated.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt into the butter mixture. Mix on low until the dough forms a ball.
Add in the chocolate chips and mix until the chips are incorporated into the dough. Set aside.
Cheesecake
In a medium mixing bowl, add in the cream cheese and sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.
Add in the egg and vanilla. I used vanilla bean paste for the cheesecake mixture, but vanilla extract will work fine. Mix until completely combined.
Divide the dough in half. Press one half of the dough into the prepared pan. Be sure to firmly press it into an even layer.
Pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the cookie base.
Gently crumble the remaining cookie dough on top of the cheesecake mixture. It should cover all of the cream cheese mixture. The pan will be very full, but it won't spill over.
Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Place in the fridge to chill for 2 -3 hours. Cut and serve.
Notes
You'll want to store any leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.