Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

I just need to tell you guys that Brandy is awesome because without her, I would have never discovered these gems.

I made these cheesecake cookie bars for my family a couple of weeks ago and they were devoured in a day.  Mind you, my family consists of my mom and dad… that’s it.  We have dessert issues.

If you like cheesecake, you’ll like these.  If you like cookie dough, you’ll like these.  If you like them both, you’ll love these.

Also, to add to how happy these cheesecake bars make me, I’m just going to post some more things that are making me happy right now  (*Note: the only pictures that are mine are the cheesecake bar photos):

 

What are you loving right now??

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
From:  Brandy

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:

• 10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8″ square baking pan with parchment paper or foil allowing a little overhang and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Leave your oven on while you prepare the dough.

3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside. (*Note: This mixture is going to be dry…that’s okay. You’re going to crumble it on top of the cheesecake layer.)

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Use your hands to form “clumps” of the cookie dough, smoosh it together and flatten it out.  Distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. Be sure to use all of the dough.

5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least a couple hours.

6. Lift the bars out by the overhang and cut into squares for serving.

S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

As the summer winds down and the weather gets cooler (HA!), fire pits start to sound a little more bearable than the did a few weeks ago.

Unfortunately, it’s still freakin’ hot here (in the 90s-100s), so I’d rather bake s’more than make them on a burning hot fire on a burning hot day.

Plus, who would pick a regular s’more over a cookie s’more?!

I used my standard chocolate chip recipe and added marshmallows and graham crackers, and this is what happened…

S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, very soft
1 cup (7 1/2 ounces) packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups (11 5/8 ounces) All-Purpose Flour

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups (5 1/4 ounces) mini marshmallows

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the very soft butter in a medium-large mixing bowl. Add the sugars, salt, vanilla, and stir well.
3. Add the egg and stir until well blended.
4. Add the baking soda and flour, mixing until blended.
5. Stir in the chips, graham cracker crumbs, and marshmallows.
6. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto light-colored baking sheets.
7. Flatten into disks, using gentle pressure from your fingers.
8. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are lightly browned; the tops shouldn’t brown, they should still be slightly gooey.
9. Remove the cookies from the oven, let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then slide them onto a rack to cool completely.

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway!

Simple Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I spend a lot of time trying to come up with new and creative recipes.

But ya know what, sometimes I just want a simple chocolate chip cookie.

That’s what these are.  Simple chocolate chip cookies in a pan.

What’s your go to chocolate chip cookie recipe?

Simple Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Adapted from:King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, very soft
• 1 cup (7 1/2 ounces) packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 3/4 cups (11 5/8 ounces) All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Place the very soft butter in a medium-large mixing bowl. Add the sugars, salt, vanilla, and stir well.
3. Add the egg and stir until well blended.
4. Add the baking soda and flour, mixing until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Place dough in a well oiled 9×13 inch pan (smaller for thicker cookies) and spread out evenly.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are lightly browned.
7. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool.  Cut into squares and enjoy!

Cookie Dough Filled Chocolate Bread

What’s your favorite dessert?

Because, whatever it is, I guarantee this will be your new favorite.  I can’t tell you how good this bread is.  Honestly, it shouldn’t be called bread because it’s more like brownies and cookie dough.

The cookie dough part stays gooey because there’s no baking powder/soda or eggs.  The bread part is fudge-like.  Just try it…I promise you’ll like it.  I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

But really, what is your favorite dessert?

Cookie Dough Filled Chocolate Bread

Adapted from: Kavita’s Kitchen and Mrs. Regueiro’s Plate

Ingredients:

For the bread:

• ¾ cup flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• Dash of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup cocoa powder

For the cookie dough:

• ½ stick butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cream
• ½ tsp vanilla
• ¾ cup flour
• Dash of salt
• ½ cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
3. Add in sour cream and olive oil and stir them together.
4. Add in the rest of the liquids and fold in with the dry ingredients until it forms a smooth consistency.
5. Add in the chocolate chips.
6. Grease a bread pan and pour half of the in the mixture into it.
7. Prepare the cookie dough mixture. Cream together the sugar and the butters in the bowl of the stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Mix in the heavy cream and vanilla, and combine.
9. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
10. Spread on top of the first half of the chocolate bread batter.
11. Top cookie dough with the other half of the bread batter.
12. Bake in the preheated oven for an 40-45 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.

Extra Moist Chocolate Lava Cakes- Muffin Tin Chef Review

If you’re looking for quick, from-scratch, appropriately sized meals, then I highly recommend you get the cookbook Muffin Tin Chef.  Who knew that a muffin tin is the most versatile piece of cookware in our cabinets?

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Muffin Tin Chef, and to be honest, I put it aside for a while during the last busy weeks of my college semester.   When I moved back home and was finally able to read the book, I was kind of surprised at how much I liked it.

It really is clever how many dishes Matt Kadey was able to downsize into the size of a muffin tin.  I think I liked the book so much because:

1. Easy portion control.
2. Quick cooking time.
3. All from scratch.
4. Small batches.
5. Variety of desserts, dinners, lunches, breakfasts, appetizers, and snacks.
6. Easy to follow instructions.
7. Simple to make a 3-course meal quickly.
8. Well.. anything muffin tin sized is just cute.

So, if you don’t have this book, I suggest you buy it… even if it’s just solely to get the recipe for these chocolate lava cakes.  These are like flour-less cake, except for a minor addition of flour.  They taste so good though.. the gooey chocolate had me at hello.

Muffin Tin Chef- Extra Moist Chocolate  Lava Cakes

Found on page 122.

 

Rice Krispie Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

My friend’s uncle drives a cereal truck, so anytime he gets cereal, everyone I live with gets it, too.

This time, we got Rice Krispies, so I wanted to do something creative with them.  (Don’t worry, I’ve also made rice krispie treats twice now.)

I found a recipe for Rice Krispie Chocolate Chip Cookies, used it, and took it to another level.  They turned out really good.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but they tasted like brownies covered with crunchy chocolate chip cookies.  Weird, huh? 😉  My brains not doing so well with descriptions right now, I think it’s because I just finished FINALS!! Yay!!!

What’s your favorite recipe for Rice Krispies?

Rice Krispie Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

Adapted from: Rice Krispies and  All Recipes

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup rice krispies
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Brownies:

• ½ cup oil
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. First, make the cookie dough.  In large electric mixer bowl, beat together margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well.
3. Mix  flour, baking soda and salt into butter mixture  until combined. Stir in rice krispies and chocolate chips. Set aside.
4. Then, make brownies.  In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, and sugar. Beat in eggs.
5. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the egg mixture until well blended.
6. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.  Drop cookie mixture evenly over the top of the brownie batter.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

You Know You’re a Baker When… (Vanilla Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies)

…Your kitchen floor is covered with flour, sugar, etc.
…Bakeries are a must on vacation.
…When you have to do a fundraiser, “Bake Sale” is your first idea.
…You bake your own birthday cake.
…Along with regular milk, you also have heavy cream and buttermilk in the fridge.
…Flour and sugar are at the top of your packing list when moving (to college…or wherever).
…You have a ‘paintbrush’ in your kitchen utensils drawer.
…You have way too many aprons.
…You walk past the baked goods/packaged cookies at the store.
…Baking at 10 p.m. is the norm.
…Your friends know who Joy is.
…You’re happy your bananas have gone bad.  Or neighbors give you their overripe bananas.
…You can make cookies out of egg whites.

All of these “You know you’re from ____ when…” groups started popping up on Facebook that saidand I was looking through them and I saw one that said   “You know you’re a baker when you have sourdough on your pajamas”.  Then I thought, “I don’t do that, but…” and started thinking of all of the things I do do…and there you have it; my “You know you’re a baker when…” list.  

I know there are a bunch more… continue the list in the comments!

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
Emeril

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2/3 cup superfine granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped semisweet chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy.
3. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy but not at all dry. (Be careful not to over beat.)
4. Add the sugar gradually, about 3 tablespoons at a time. When 1/2 of the sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract. Continue beating and adding remaining sugar in batches, until all of the sugar is dissolved and the meringue is very shiny and tight.
5. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Working one teaspoon at a time, push a teaspoonful of meringue from the tip of 1 teaspoon with the back of another teaspoon onto the lined baking sheets, leaving 1-inch of space between cookies.
7. Place baking sheets in the preheated oven and turn the oven off. Leave the cookies (undisturbed) in the oven for at least 2 hours and up to overnight, or until cookies are crisp and dry.