Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars: #CreativeCookieExchange

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars are decadent treats, perfect for special occasions, but actually quite easy and fast to make. Keep reading to see what other chocolatey treats the Creative Cookie Exchange has for us this month.

When I picked Chocolate as the theme for this month’s Creative Cookie Exchange, I was thinking of Valentine’s Day. And so I picked Baci di Dama, thinking the elegant Italian “lady’s kisses” would make the perfect Valentine’s Day treat.

And failed miserably at my first attempt at making them.

No worries! I will go back and try again. I have found some radical differences in instructions, so I have plenty of different things to try, but in the meantime I needed a cookie for Creative Cookie Exchange. Enter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars to the rescue–the perfect solution in more than one way, because not only are they super easy to make, but they are still special enough to serve as a treat for your sweetheart. Really the only thing to worry about is making sure you have time for them to both cool and chill before slicing them.

Sammy pronounced these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars the best brownie or blondie I have ever made! That’s pretty high praise–my kids are always willing to tell me when they do not love something, albeit politely of course. Alex and John are also having trouble staying out of them. I really like them, but they are super rich, definitely a one bar is enough for one serving for me kind of cookie.

I (closely) adapted the cookies from Baking Bites; she suggests baking them at 350 F for 35-40 minutes. In my oven at 330 F convection (350 F converted to convection), that was way too long for the tops. As a result my bars are on the gooey side–which my kids loved. You will note that in the instructions I suggest either the higher temperature for less time with gooey results or longer at a lower temperature for a drier, more baked through result. I would love to hear from any readers who make these as to what temperature you chose and what the results were.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Closely adapted from Baking Bites. If you like your bars gooey in the middle, bake for about 28 minutes on 350 F (330 F convection), or until tops are browned. If you prefer your bars to be more cooked throughout, bake on 325 F (305 F convection) for longer, up to 45 minutes, until top is browned.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16 bars

Ingredients

For the chocolate chip cookie dough:

• 2 cups (252 g) AP flour
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 2/3 cup (150 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• 2/3 cup (132 g) brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 2 t vanilla paste (extract works too)
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

For the cheesecake filling:

• 8 oz (227 g; 1 package) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 t vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 or 350 F (see notes at top to decide which). Line a 9×9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper (lightly spray the corners of the pan to help the paper to stick if necessary). Set aside.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

3. Using an electric beater (I prefer a stand mixer), beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and then add the brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.

4. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla and the egg. Scrape the sides and bottom again.

5. Mix in the flour mixture on the lowest speed. When the flour is mostly but not completely mixed in, add the chocolate chips. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated. Set aside.

6. Switching to a new bowl (I have 2 bowls and 2 beaters for my stand mixer--if you do not, switch from a stand mixer to a handheld mixer or vice versa or clean your beaters and bowl (after transferring the cookie dough to a clean mixing bowl).

7. Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat in the egg.  

8. Remove 2 cups of the chocolate chip cookie dough and place it in the prepared pan. Slightly dampen your hands with water and then press the dough into the prepared pan in an even layer. 

9. Scrape the cream cheese mixture into the pan and over the cookie dough base. Shake the pan side to side and front to back briskly, just once or twice, to spread the cream cheese layer. 

10. Drop the remaining cookie dough over the cheesecake layer in tiny broken off blobs. Get it as even as possible. 

11. Bake for 28-33 minutes at 350 F or 38-45 minutes at 325 F (see comments in notes above), until cheesecake is set and cookie dough is golden brown.

12. Allow to cool completely in the pan, then chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

13. Use the parchment paper overhangs to lift the entire slab out onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 bars and serve. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Chocolate is always in fashion–but no time more so than in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day. So whether you are baking for your honey or just baking for fun, we have chocolate cookies to inspire you!

You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links.

If you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

• Chocolate Brownie Raspberry Sorbet Cookie Sandwiches from All That’s Left Are The Crumbs
• Cocoa Vino Cookies from What Smells So Good?
• Gluten Free Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies from A Baker’s House
• Chocolate Meringue Cookies from 2 Cookin Mamas
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars from The Spiced Life
• Chocolate Cherry Madeleines from Queen Bee Baker

Looking for a Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars collage to post?