Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

The first time I made these Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars (recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction), they immediately became my favorite cheesecake bar dessert.  The combination of the (eggless) cookie dough atop a rich, creamy cheesecake layer, and a graham cracker crust, was simply divine!

I recently made them again for a get-together, and decided to drizzle some chocolate on the top just because the cookie dough layer didn't turn out too nice (even the first few times I made it, it never looked like the one from Sally's Baking Addiction).

In any case, the bars were still super delicious.  If you love cheesecake and cookie dough - you have to try this recipe!

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars (recipe credit Sally's Baking Addiction)

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
• 5 T melted butter

Cookie Dough:

• 5 T butter, softened
• 1/3 c packed brown sugar
• 3 T sugar
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 3/4 c flour
• 1 c chocolate chips

Filling:

• 10 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 t vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Mix crust ingredients and spread mixture into bottom of parchment-lined 8x8 pan.
• Bake for 6 minutes.
• Let cool.
• Mix butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Stir in the flour and mix until combined. 
• Stir in chocolate chips. 
• In a separate medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. 
• Stir in the egg and vanilla.
• Pour the cheesecake filling onto crust. 
• Add dough on top of cheesecake layer. 
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Refrigerate before cutting into squares.