Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-13 inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil allowing a little overhang and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 6 minutes, remove to a cooling rack, and keep oven on.
3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the cookie layer. 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 until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand. Distribute half of the cookie dough over the crust, flattening each piece to cover as much as of the crust as possible. Set aside the remaining half.
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 over the cookie dough in the prepared crust. Spread to cover evenly.
5. Distribute the rest of the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter, flattening each piece to cover as much of the cheesecake as possible.
6. Bake for about 45-55 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm, is just starting to turn golden, and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
7. Lift the bars out by the overhang. Slice into desired size and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.