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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars are the perfect dessert any time! They’re delicious, scrumptious, and easy to eat. My cheesecake bar recipe is always a hit in family gatherings or in holidays because it’s cheesecake and cookies—all in one bite. Soft, creamy, chewy, and undeniably the BEST of both worlds! Make these any time you’re craving something sweet!
I find these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars so simple that I just want to make them for parties, the kids, or for a sweet treat! These are my absolute favorite for so many reasons.
Being a mom of two, I always look forward to baking easy desserts, and these cheesecake bars are one of the easies desserts that I can make from scratch.
If you are looking for a holiday dessert to impress your guests, look no further than these amazing Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookie Bars. So whip them up for Valentine’s Day treats, Easter desserts, Christmas, or any day!
You’ll be amazed to know that I have made Salted Chocolate, Snickerdoodle and Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars too. I Iove making these cheesecake cookie bars again and again and they bake in no time!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars
These chocolate chip cheesecake bars are the best of all worlds when it comes to dessert, chocolate chip cookies, and cheesecake. You get a little bit of cheesecake, and a little bit of cookie—all in one easy recipe!
A layer of soft and gooey cheesecake is sandwiched between layers of fresh chocolate chip cookie dough, which makes for a creamy and chewy dessert. dessert bars.
Ingredients
The ingredients for these oven-baked bars are very simple. I’m essentially combining two beginner-friendly recipes into one delicious bite.
For Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
I’m using basic ingredients for the dough, like butter (room temperature), sugar (brown sugar, granulated sugar), egg (room temperature), all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips.
For Cream cheese Filling
For the cream cheese filling, I use cream cheese (at room temperature), egg (room temperature), lemon juice, vanilla essence and powdered sugar.
Variations & Substitution
- Instead of mini chocolate chips, try any combination of chocolate chips, sprinkles, toffee pieces, or chopped nuts. Keep total add-ins to 1 ½ cups.
- To make these cheesecake bars gluten free, substitute 1:1 gluten free flour alternative (like Cup4Cup) in place of the all-purpose flour.
- If using frozen cookie dough, first make sure it is thawed completely before using in the recipe. I have not tried it personally but let me know in the comments if you try it.
- Full-fat cream cheese is the BEST, but if you choose to use low fat, the outcome will differ.
Tips For Success
- It is important to fully preheat the oven before baking for best results.
- Make sure the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature, so they’re soft. It helps in preventing cracks on the surface while baking.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan before layering in the dough. This will make it easier to remove the bars after baking.
- Let the chocolate chip cheesecake bars cool for at least 1 hour after baking. It helps them set and makes it easer to slice them. Also clean the knife after every cut so all the pieces come out clean and sharp.
- Measure all the ingredients for the cookie dough carefully in order to avoid a dry or hard crust. Sometimes if measurements are off, the chocolate chip cookie dough layers turn out dry or hard.
- LAST but not least. I highly recommend using a 9×13-inch baking pan. Though you can bake these bars in any size baking pan, the thickness of each layer will differ.
How can you tell when cheesecake bars are done baking?
These chocolate chip cookie cheesecake bars are done baking when they are lightly golden brown and the center is set. To test if the center is set, use an oven mitt and gently jiggle the tray. If the center moves a lot, the bars need more time. If the center wobbles, but is mostly set, the bars are done. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Even though cookie bars are baked, they require refrigeration to keep them fresh. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Freeze: Yes, these cheesecake bars can be frozen. Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer safe container. When you’re ready to eat them, remove the plastic wrap and let them thaw in the refrigerator. They should keep in the freezer for up to a month.
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13-inch Baking Pan
- Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups unsalted butter 283 grams, room temperature (2½ sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- ½ cup brown sugar 107 grams
- 3 large eggs 150 grams, room temperature and divided
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour 270 grams
- 1¼ teaspoons baking soda 8 grams
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder 1 gram
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups mini chocolate chips 266 grams, divided
- 16 ounces cream cheese 454 grams, room temperature (2 bricks)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 1 cup powdered sugar 113 grams
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan and spray the sides with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together.1¼ cups unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar
- Beat in 1 egg.3 large eggs
- Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until it comes together.2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1¼ teaspoons baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fold in 1¼ cups of the chocolate chips and set aside.1½ cups mini chocolate chips
- Add the cream cheese, remaining eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla to a separate medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until smooth.16 ounces cream cheese, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 3 large eggs
- Beat in the powdered sugar.1 cup powdered sugar
- Press a little more than ½ of the cookie mix into the pan then pour in the cheesecake mix.
- Crumble the remaining cookie dough around on top and sprinkle on the remaining chocolate chips, then bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is light and golden brown.
- Let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Becky’s Tips
-
- Fully preheat the oven before baking for best results.
- Make sure that butter and cream cheese are at room temperature, so they’re soft. It helps in preventing cracks on the surface while baking.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan before layering in the dough. This will make it easier to remove the bars after baking.
- Let the chocolate chip cheesecake bars cool for at least 1 hour after baking. It helps them to set and makes it easy to slice them later. Also clean the knife after every cut so all pieces come out clean and sharp.
- Instead of mini chocolate chips, try any combination of chocolate chips, sprinkles, toffee pieces, or chopped nuts. Keep total add-ins to 1 ½ cups.
- To make these cheesecake bars gluten free, substitute 1:1 gluten free flour alternative (like Cup4Cup) in place of the all-purpose flour.
- Measure all ingredients for cookie dough carefully in order to avoid dry or hard crust. Sometimes if measurements are off, chocolate chip cookie dough layers turn out dry or hard.
- If you are using frozen cookie dough, first make sure it is thawed completely before using in the recipe. I have not tried it personally but do let me know in the comments if you try.
- Full-fat cream cheese is the BEST, but if you choose to use low fat, the outcome will differ.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
Preheat the oven and line the baking pan: Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. You’ll need a fully heated oven. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan and spray the sides with nonstick spray.
Cookie Dough: Combine ingredients to make the chocolate chip cookie dough in one bowl, and set aside. In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the 1¼ cups of unsalted butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and ½ cup of brown sugar together.
Beat in 1 egg out of 3 large eggs.
In the same bowl stir in the 2¼ cups of all-purpose flour, 1¼ teaspoons baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt until it comes together.
Fold in 1¼ cups of the mini chocolate chips. Set aside.
Cheesecake: Combine ingredients to make the cheesecake mixture in another bowl. Add 16 ounces of cream cheese, remaining 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to a separate medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
Finally beat in the 1 cup of powdered sugar.
Layer: Press half of the cookie dough into the bottom of the baking pan, layer in the cheesecake mixture and smooth out.
Then crumble the remaining cookie dough on top and sprinkle on the remaining chocolate chips.
Bake & Serve: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is light and golden brown. Let them cool before slicing and serving. Enjoy!!
Soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies and creamy cheesecake are a match made in heaven! There’s nothing better than the combination of these two desserts in one bar. So yummy!
Isn’t that 2 eggs not 3 added to the cream cheese filling for the Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars? We used one egg for the cookie dough.
Yes, it is!
Any substitute for peanut butter? Thanks!
You could use any nut butter or sunflower butter!
Do these bars need to be refrigerated? Or can they be kept out while you’re eating them throughout the week?
I would refrigerate due to the cheesecake filling. Hope you enjoy!
What size baking dish do you use?
8×8 or 9×9…enjoy!
Love your blog! I’m not a sports fan, but my boss is a Mizzou alumni and a HUGE fan. He’d probably like these bars too!
thank you so much!!! tell your boss to hand in there…its a pretty tough time to be a mizzou fan. but i know it will get better :). thanks for reading the blog!