Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars desserts Crispy edges and chewy centres in these cookie bars with a surprising creamy cheesecake filling. dessert bars Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars chocolate chips, cheesecakes

These Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars have quickly become one of our favorite desserts combining two delicious sweet treats. You can’t go wrong with a dessert like this - because who doesn’t love each of these layers individually. Combined they make a game changing dessert. A Chocolate chip cookie crust, topped with a sweet slightly tangy cheesecake layer with a very creamy texture, dotted with more cookie batter. They are super fun to make and a great dessert for a potluck or party.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

  • BUTTER: I use unsalted butter because it makes it easier to control the amount of salt in recipe. Ensure it’s room temperature.
  • SUGAR: You will need both granulated sugar and brown sugar for best flavor and texture for the cookie batter. You will need granulated white sugar for the cheesecake filling.
  • FLOUR: I use all purpose flour. You could definitely make them gluten free with a good quality flour like Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 gluten free baking flour. Of course the texture will be slightly different.
  • CHOCOLATE CHIPS: I use semi sweet chocolate chips but bittersweet chocolate chips or a combination of both would work well. You can use milk chocolate chips as well but expect the overall dessert to be sweeter. You will need 2 cups for the batter and ½ cup extra for sprinkling over top batter.
  • EGGS: There are 4 eggs in this recipe. Two for each of the different layers. Make sure they are room temperature.
  • BAKING SODA, BAKING POWDER & SALT: A little bit of both in this recipe - both acting as leavener. The salt is for flavor for the cookie layers and the cream cheese layer
  • VANILLA: A definite must in this recipe for both layers - the bars just won’t be the same without it for that delicious flavour vanilla adds to them
  • CREAM CHEESE: I use full fat cream cheese for best flavor and texture - ensure it is softened to room temperature so that it mixes well with the rest of the ingredients.
  • EXTRA ADD INS: Feel free to toss in some chopped pecans or walnuts if you would like a nuttier version of this dessert

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Prepare Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

  1. Whisk together your dry ingredients together
  2. Cream the butter, sugars and vanilla then add the eggs
  3. Gently mix the dry ingredient/flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Do not over mix
  4. Mix or fold in Chocolate chips. Chill dough while you prepare the filling.

Prepare Cream Cheese Filling

  1. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth
  2. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and salt until combined, set aside

Assemble the Bars

  1. Press ⅔ of the cookie batter into the bottom of baking pan
  2. Pour cheesecake filling over top and smooth out evenly
  3. Spoon the rest of the cookie batter all over the cheesecake layer
  4. Sprinkle over the remaining chocolate chips
  5. Bake
  6. Cool, slice & Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing

  • STORAGE: These bars keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Storing these in the fridge and freezer for any amount of time will soften the cookie batter as it absorbs the moisture from the cheesecake layer. They will absolutely still be delicious but the crispy edge on the cookies will soften.
  • MAKE AHEAD: The cookie batter can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You may have to let it sit on the counter a few minutes to soften slightly if it’s been in the fridge a while. The cheesecake batter is best made the day you make the bars.
  • FREEZING: Whole or portions of the cookie bars can be frozen for up to 1 month wrapped tight in plastic wrap and placed in an airtight container. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Recipe

Servings: 24 slices (one 9x13 pan)
Prep Time: 30-45 mins
Bake Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins - 1 hr 30 mins
Non Active Time: 1-3 hrs (for cooling/chill time)

Ingredients

For the Cookie Layer

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

For the Cheesecake Layer

  • 16 ounces cream cheese (2x250 gram blocks), room temperature and softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For Assembling

  • ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 13×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper with overhanging edges for easy removal.

Cookie Layer

  1. Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl: flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
  2. In a large mixing bowl (using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer) cream the butter with both the sugars along with the vanilla until fluffy, approx 3 mins.
  3. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition.
  4. Gradually beat in the dry ingredients until just combined, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl. A few traces of flour remaining is fine. Do not over mix.
  5. Switch to a spatula and fold in 2 cups chocolate chips evenly into batter.
  6. Chill dough in the fridge while you prepare cheesecake layer.

For the Cream Cheese Layer

  1. In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar, until smooth and creamy, 2-3min.
  2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully combined.
  3. Beat in the vanilla and salt. Set aside.

Assembly

  1. Genlty press approx ⅔ of the cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared pan
  2. Spoon or pour over the cheesecake mixture then spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon or offset spatula.
  3. Use a teaspoon to dollop remaining cookie dough evenly all over top of the cream cheese layer. It will not be fully covered as pictured.
  4. Sprinkle top with remaining ½ cup chocolate chips.
  5. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until the tops and edges are lightly golden brown.
  6. Remove from oven and allow bars to cool in pan over cooling rack to room temperature. They will be soft to slice but will hold up. For very firm slices place the room temperature bars in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours or wrap and store in the fridge overnight to fully set before slicing.

Recipe Notes

  • The batter may be slightly sticky when pressing it into the bottom of baking pan - I usually just use a little baking spray on my fingers or spatula to make it easier to work with.
  • This recipe can easily be halved and made and baked in a square 8x8 pan. Baking time will vary and decrease slightly- start checking at the 35 minute mark.
  • I recommend using a metal baking pan/baking dish to make these bars as these bars bake more evenly in a metal pan versus a ceramic one. Cooking time is usually longer in a ceramic baking pan too.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars