Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

It's that time of the month again. Crazy Cooking Challenge. I love this challenge. Every month we
are given a different type of food, to go out and find a recipe for, make it, blog about it, and then everyone links up so we can all see what everyone made.


In the past, we've made smoothies, spaghetti, chocolate cake (my favorite) and chicken noodle soup. You never know what Tina will come up with but it's always enjoyable. And this month, it's Cheesecake!

I love cheesecake but in my house, it's just not a favorite dessert so I hate to make a big cheesecake and then still be the only one eating it five days later. It's why I make things like Chocolate and Peanut Butter Mousse Cheesecake, Petit Mocha Cheesecakes and Cream Cheese Squares. I can make it, take what I want and share the rest with friends without it looking like I gave them leftovers.

I actually had another recipe all picked out for this challenge and then Chocolate Moosey posted that it was National Cheesecake day. With a link to all her cheesecake recipes. And she's made a lot of cheesecake! I love to drool as much as the next person so I click on over. Pure heaven. About half way through, I spot the bars. I can almost taste the chocolate chips. And cookie dough. My kids love anything with the words cookie dough in it.

These were so good, my 10 year old said "If anyone doesn't like these, they're just crazy." Guess I picked the perfect recipe for the Crazy Cooking Challenge.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
adapted from Chocolate Moosey

Crust
1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (I used butter cookies)
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips


Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla


Cookies Dough Topping
5 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt (just a pinch)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup regular sized chocolate chips

Candy melts or chocolate bark (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, line a square 8x8 or 9x9 pan with foil or parchment paper. Lightly spray with cooking spray. For your crust, combine cookie crumbs and melted butter. Stir in chocolate chips.

Press cookie mixture into bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake for 6 minutes. remove from oven and let cool.

Cream cream cheese, add in sugar, egg and vanilla, cream again till smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture over crust.

Now for your cookie dough topping, Cream butter, add in sugars, cream again. Add in vanilla, then salt and flour. The dough will be crumbly. Stir in chocolate chips. Crumble cookie dough mixture over cream cheese layer.

Bake in your preheated 325 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Just until the edges of your crust start to turn golden and when you shake the pan, the cream cheese layer is firm, not woobly. Let cool completely before cutting.

For an extra layer of chocolaty goodness, drizzle some melted chocolate bark across the top.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, if it lasts that long.

Be sure to check out all the other awesome cheesecake recipes below.
I've shared this at a few of these wonderful parties.