Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I brought these cheesecake stuffed cookie bars to our neighbor’s this year for our annual spaghetti feed. 

They were a huge hit and we really enjoyed them. 

The original recipe called for a 9x9 baking dish, but having made them that way, I’d recommend an 11x7 baking dish.  The bars were quite thick, so I think baking them in the 11x7 pan will help. 

I used all whole wheat flour in this recipe, and it was delicious. 

Hope you enjoy them!

Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars – Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café

Ingredients

• 6 T butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/8 C sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3/4 C dark chocolate chips
• 6 oz. cream cheese, Neufchatel preferred
• 1/4 C powdered sugar
• 1 egg white
• splash of vanilla

Directions

Melt and cool 6 T butter.  Mix in 1/2 C brown sugar and 1/8 C sugar.  Then, mix in 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla. 

Sift together 1 C white whole wheat flour, 1/4 tsp. baking soda and 1/8 tsp. salt.  Add to the sugar mixture, mixing until just combined. 

Stir in chocolate chips. 

Arrange just over half of the cookie dough in the bottom of an 11x7 cake pan, lightly greased and/or lined with tinfoil.  Note: I used a 9x9 baking dish, and you can also do that but your bars will be very thick and you won’t get as much cheesecake in each bite.

Then, whip the 6oz. of cream cheese with 1/4 C powdered sugar.  Whip in the egg and a splash of vanilla and beat for 3 minutes until fluffy. 

Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top of the cookie crust. 

By the tablespoon, flatten the dough into a small circle.  Arrange these small dough circles over the top of your filling layer. 

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.  Check that the edges are lightly browned.  Cool on a cooling rack.  When completely cooled, transfer the pan, covered, in the refrigerator. 

Cut into bars. 

Serve & enjoy. 

Store remaining bars in the refrigerator.