These cookie dough cheesecake bars combine cookie dough with baked cheesecake bars. They have a graham cracker crust with an easy to make cheesecake. The chocolate chip cookie bakes on top, but in the middle it stays like cookie dough!
These chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecakes bars are my husband's favorite dessert I have ever made. I make a lot of desserts too!
His favorite part is the combination of cheesecake with the cookie dough in every bite. There is nothing better than cookie dough and cheesecake!
If you are looking for other cookie dough recipes, try cookie dough cupcakes, cookie dough cake, and chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake.
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Why You Will Love This
- Easy to make bars- These bars are super easy to make. No water bath is required!
- Buttery graham cracker crust- These bars have a homemade graham cracker crust.
- Creamy cheesecake filling- The cheesecake layer is incredible light and fluffy.
- Cookie dough- The cookie dough layer bakes on top, but the middle is pure cookie dough.
Ingredients
Here are notes about the ingredients used.
- Graham crackers- Use regular graham crackers. You can use cinnamon or chocolate, but the flavor will change.
- Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar.
- Unsalted butter- For the crust, it is melted. For the cookie dough, it is softened and pulled out 2 hours before baking.
- Cream cheese- Use full fat room temperature cream cheese.
- Sour cream- Use full fat room temperature sour cream.
- Heavy cream- Pull this out 2 hours before baking.
- Eggs- Pull the large eggs out 2 hours before baking.
- Chocolate Chips- Use semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips. I don't recommend milk chocolate chips because they will be too sweet.
Step By Step Instructions
Here are the steps to make and bake the cheesecake bars. This recipe needs a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
STEP 1: Use a 9X9 pan. You can use an 8X8 pan but it will be much thicker. Spray the pan well with baking non-stick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
STEP 2: Mix the crust. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter. Then, pour the crust into the square baking pan. Compact the crust using the bottom of a measuring cup.
Use a food processor or bag with a rolling pin to crust the graham crackers into a fine crumb.
STEP 3: Bake the crust. Next, bake the crust for 10 minutes before adding the cheesecake batter. This helps to prevent a soggy crust.
STEP 4: Make the cheesecake batter. Beat the cream cheese and white sugar. Beat these on high speed until fluffy with no chunks remaining.
STEP 5: Add the wet ingredients. Next, mix in the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla extract into the cream cheese filling. Then, mix on low speed and add in the eggs.
Add as little air as possible at this step to prevent cracks.
STEP 6: Make the cookie dough. Mix the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Then, add in the vanilla and egg. Mix on high until combined.
STEP 7: Add in the flour mixture. Next, mix the dry ingredients into the dough. Mix in the chocolate chip but be careful to not to over mix.
STEP 8: Pour in the cheesecake batter. Then, flatten the cookie dough into discs using your hands and place on top of the cheesecake batter.
STEP 9: Bake. Bake for 60 minutes. Once done baking, let cool completely on a wire rack. Then, chill for 6 hours or overnight.
Baking Tips
To prevent cracking with the cheesecake, make sure to mix the eggs in on low. The air that gets introduced into the eggs at this step will cause the cheesecake to rise with the air bubbles while it bakes.
Then, it will pop and fall rapidly, which will cause cracks in the cheesecake.
Another tip to prevent cracking, is to let the cheesecake sit in the turned off oven with the door cracked for 15 minutes. The slow cool down will help prevent the cracks.
Use a sharp knife to cut the bars cleanly after they chilled overnight.
Substitutions
- Graham crackers- You can use digestives biscuits if your country doesn't have graham crackers.
- Crust- You can also use Oreos, Nutter Butters, or any of that type of cookie.
- Chocolate chips- You can use dark if you prefer.
- You can use pre-made cookie dough if you would like!
FAQ
Yes you can. Double the crust and the cookie dough. Then, for the cheesecake batter, 1.5X the recipe.
I have not recipe tested this. If you make this with an egg substitute, let me know.
Yes they can! Make them 2-3 days ahead of time.
Yes. This is so important. In fact, I always chill overnight. As it chills, it becomes more dense and the flavor will intensify. If you cut these too early, they will fall apart.
Storing
Store these cookie dough cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the fridge. Store up to 5 days.
Other Bar Recipes To Try
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📖 Recipe
Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ¼ cup Graham cracker crumbs about 1 full packet of graham crackers.
- ⅛ cup Packed brown sugar light or dark
- ¼ cup Unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake
- 16 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup White granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Sour cream room temperature
- ⅛ cup Heavy cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 2 Large eggs room temperature
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- ⅓ cup Unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅛ cup White granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup Packed brown sugar light or dark
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 1 Large egg room temperature
- ¾ cup All-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a 9X9 pan with non-stick baking spray. Line the bottom and 2 sides with parchment paper. Make sure that parchment paper is sticking out far enough on top so it's easy to grab. This will help make it easier to get the cheesecake out of pan. Spray again.
- Use a food processor or blender to blend the graham crackers until a fine crumb forms.1 ¼ cup Graham cracker crumbs
- Mix together graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter until it is all nice and wet. (it should feel like wet sand).⅛ cup Packed brown sugar, ¼ cup Unsalted butter
- Pour the graham cracker crumbs into the pan. Use fingers to spread it evenly on the bottom (crust will only go on the bottom and not on the sides.) Then, use the bottom of a measuring cup to compact the crust down.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes.
Cheesecake
- While the crust is baking, start the cheesecake batter. Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese on high for 1 minute until smooth. Add in sugar and beat for another minute. It should be very smooth and fluffy. Scrape the bowl.16 oz Cream cheese, ½ cup White granulated sugar
- Add the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla. Beat on medium for about 1-2 minutes until batter is very smooth again. Scrape the bowl. Add in eggs one at a time on low and mix until just combined. Scrape the bowl between eggs.¼ cup Sour cream, ⅛ cup Heavy cream, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, 2 Large eggs
- When the crust is done baking, pour the cheesecake batter on top and spread evenly.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.¾ cup All-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Using a mixer, beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together on high for 2 minutes. The butter will become light, fluffy, and well blended.⅓ cup Unsalted butter, ⅛ cup White granulated sugar, ⅓ cup Packed brown sugar
- Add in vanilla extract and egg. Mix well until combined. Scrape the bowl.1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, 1 Large egg
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix on low. Then, add in the chocolate chips. Mix until combined.¾ cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Take small amount of cookie dough and flatten into a disc shape using your hands. Place on top of the cheesecake batter. Repeat until the entire cheesecake is covered. See above for a photo. Some cheesecake batter spots will show.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes. The cheesecake is done baking when the cookie is golden brown, the edges are set, and the middle has a slight jiggle.
- Let the cheesecake bars cool completely before covering and transferring to the fridge. Let the cheesecake bars cool for 6 hours to overnight. Once cool, pull the bars out of the pan and cut into squares. Store the cheesecake bars in the fridge until ready to eat.
Brittany says
2 of my absolute favorite things in one dessert, my dream come true! Will be making these on repeat
Lauren Holley says
I made this recipe today. A couple questions / comments:
1. I feel like the 9x9 pan is too small. The crust, batter, and dough filled up the pan all the way and when baked, rose above the edges. I might try to modify the baking time in a 9x13 pan instead so that it's not so compact and the bars aren't as thick. This would also ensure even cooking.
2. The cookie dough was very sticky, following all the right proportions. Is it supposed to be that way? I was unable to handle it with my hands to form into patties, and instead had to scrape in pieces off a spatula. There was cheesecake showing through (which you said was fine) and as it began to bake, the dough did spread out. Just wanted to confirm consistency.
Making this for my partner's birthday and very excited to share!
Patrick says
Can they be frozen?
Stephanie Rutherford says
Yes they can! Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze up to 30 days. Let them thaw for 1-2 hours before eating.
Sherri says
Can you make these with store bought cookie dough?
Stephanie Rutherford says
You definitely can!
Erin says
These are my favorite dessert ever! Stephanie makes the best cheesecake recipes, but this one takes the cake! 😉
So so good!
Alex says
These are my husbands favorite thing ever!
Molly says
These cookie dough cheesecake bars are incredible!
Emily says
We love all of your cheesecake recipes including this one! We will be making these again for sure!
Heather says
Delicious!
Heather Waldron says
These were very easy. I had my kids help, I made the crust, my daughter helped with the cheesecake, and my son helped with the cookie dough. Doesn’t take long, and it’s pretty amazing!!
DERRAH Thomas says
Love this recipe! My bars turned out amazing! Making the Caramel Apple Cheesecake bars today! Love your detail in the recipe , assisted my to be very successful 😋😋
Stephanie Rutherford says
I'm glad you loved the recipe!
Marcie B. says
Love these bars! They’re delicious! Most importantly I love how broken down the recipe instructions are, it made it very easy and. OT complicated.
Stephanie Rutherford says
I am so glad you love these!