Cheesecake Cheesecake!

My grandma gave me a giant block of cream cheese last week for no reason at all...so I agonized over the different cheesecake options for a few days and finally decided on cheesecake brownies and cookie dough cheesecake bars. I used the cheesecake marbled brownies recipe from Smitten Kitchen and the chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bar recipe thats been floating around the internet on several blogs.

The cheesecake swirl in the brownies balances out the fudgy brownie perfectly! Even my mom liked them- and she thinks everything is way too sweet. But I liked them too! And I love anything sweet! They're super addicting and have the perfect ratio of delicious velvety cheesecake to brownie!

The chocolate chip cookie dough bars were just like everyone has said...out of this world!

Since some people said the cookie dough ended up a bit dry, I added milk to mine. This and maybe the use of margarine caused them to melt seamlessly onto the cheesecake bars making for a better presentation, but still a big, chewy cookie dough texture and flavor! Oh yum these were so scrumptious! The sweet gooey cookie dough balanced out with the smooth cheesecake and it all came together with a great crust and dark chocolate drizzle!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tablespoons butter, melted
2/3 cup miniature chocolate chips

Cookie Dough

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling

10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Prreheat oven to 325°. Butter a 9″-square baking pan. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to extend over the sides.

To prepare the crust combine graham cracker crumbs and butter until crumbs are moistened. Stir in the mini-chocolate chips.

Press crust mixture into bottom of pan and 1 inch up sides. Bake for 6 minutes. Set pan on wire rack to cool

Prepare the cookie dough. Using an electric mixer, mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and milk at medium speed until smooth. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour Mix just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

To prepare the filling, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating just until blended. (I used a food processor for this step)

Pour batter into baked crust. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the top of the filling.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until set. Transfer to wire rack.

Drizzle chocolate to decorate after the pan has cooled.

Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove bars from pan. Cut into bars and serve. (I chilled them for a few hours first- I like cheesecake cold and it makes for more gooey and delicious cookie dough on top)