My easy recipe for Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars is made with simple pantry ingredients. It’s so creamy and delicious with bits of chocolate throughout, it’s guaranteed to satisfy any sweet tooth.
I used mascarpone and cream cheese to make my chocolate chip cheesecake bars, so they’re extra creamy. If you’d rather use all cream cheese that works too.
This is one of my favorite desserts, but then again anything cheesecake will definitely make me smile! My Chocolate Cheesecake Bars is another of my favorite cheesecake recipes!
What Ingredients do I need to make Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
How do I make Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars?
- Place the sandies in a food processor.
- Pulse the cookies to a fine crumb.
- Add the melted butter to the cookie crumbs.
- Mix well.
- Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the 9 x 9-inch pan
- Bake crust for 10-12 minutes at 325 degrees. Then allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Add the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, orange zest and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer at medium speed.
- Beat the cream cheese mixture until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time.
- Beat on low speed until just combined.
- Add the chocolate chips to the cheesecake mixture.
- Fold the chocolate chips into the creamy cheesecake filling.
- Pour the cream cheese filling over the cookie crust and smooth it with an offset spatula
- Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until the center is just set and the top begins to brown.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and let it cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
After the cheesecake bars have cooled, run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the bars. Let the cheesecake bars continue to cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate the bars for at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.
Cheesecake has got to be one of the most forgiving desserts you can make. You can add just about any flavor you like, use all kinds of toppings, change the crust, use different shaped pans, but no matter what you do to it, Cheesecake still comes out oh so creamy and delicious!
I don’t know who invented cream cheese but I hope there was a medal awarded for this stellar creation. I know you’ll agree that this is the best chocolate chip cheesecake bars recipe after one bite!
Recipe FAQ’s
You sure can. Properly wrapped and stored in air-tight containers cheesecake bars can stay frozen for up to 3 months.
Yes, they do! After cooling it’s important to chill the cheesecake bars for at least 6 hours so they properly set up. Store the cheesecake bars in the refrigerator when they are not being served.
Yes, you can. You can use any wafer-style cookie that you enjoy eating to make the crust.
More Cheesecake Recipes You’ll Love!
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
crust
- 1 ½ cup toffee sandies shortbread cookies or your favorite shortbread cookie
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese (or use all cream cheese)
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ cup semi sweet chocolate chips or your choice of chips
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Place the sandies in a food processor and pulse to a fine crumb.
- Add the melted butter and mix well.
- Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the 9 x 9-inch pan
- Bake crust for 10-12 minutes at 325 degrees
- Cool on a wire rack.
Filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, zest and vanilla until smooth at medium speed.You can substiture all cream cheese instead of using mascarpone
- Add eggs one at a time, beat on low speed just until combined.
- Fold the chocolate chips into the cheesecake batter.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over baked and cooled crust and smooth with an offset spatula
- Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until the center is just set and the top begins to brown.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- When the cheesecake bars have cooled, carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen.
- Let the cheesecake bars cool for 1 hour longer then refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.
Brian @ A Thought For Food
I’m always in the mood for cheesecake and boy does this look to die for!
mangiabella
I don’t know who invented cream cheese either, but God Bless ’em!!!! Chef, catching up on your posts never disappoints. Miss you my friend and sending some love your way and want to thank you once again for always being such an inspiration to me, I cherish the journey that has intersected our paths…so much glorious personal growth has been taking place over the last year, I’ve taken a new direction in writing, begun doing much more freelance writing, and working on a bigger writing project and really trying to live each day with purpose and intent. I love watching you continue to grow and expand and posture yourself for success….the world is your oyster and the best is truly yet to come….
Sanaa Abourezk
You are talking my language, cheese cake and chocolate chip cookies. I can not wait to try it.
Chef Dennis
It was a very flavorful combination! Thank you!
Betty Ann @Mango_Queen
I love this! I can barely move after seeing these photos. Bookmarked the recipe. Baking it soon. Thanks for sharing, Chef Dennis.
Chef Dennis
Thanks Betty Ann! I hope all is well and I look forward to seeing you soon. Are you going to Eat Write Retreat, or do I have to wait until BSP4 to see you?
deb
My son’s favorite dessert is cheesecake! Making bars rather than an entire cheesecake is appealing! And a change from the traditional graham cracker crust is inspired!
Chef Dennis
Thanks Deb, it was a nice diversion from a standard cheesecake, and yet still so creamy and delicious!
Happy Valley Chow
Holy cow chef, that looks and sound…even though I feel my arteries clogging when I read the recipe haha.
Happy Blogging!
Chef Dennis
Hi Eric
thanks, they were really good, my neighbor can testify to that! The trick is not to eat the whole pan!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie
Love that you made something other than a graham crust! So yummy sounding.
Chef Dennis
hi Erin
Thank you! last time I made a shortbread crust that turned out very well, and this crust was very good, so I think I’ll begin experimenting with different types of crusts depending upon the cheesecake.
RavieNomNoms
I saw these on Facebook and I had to come over and check them out! They look awesome Chef!
Chef Dennis
Thanks Raven! Hope all is well
Toni | Boulder Locavore
Love the pics! This time of year is always nuts for any of us having a relationship to school winding up. Hang in there!
Chef Dennis
Thanks Toni, I’m just counting down the days at this point, but once this week is over with all of our events, it’s all downhill
Ann
It’s amazing what you can do with mascarpone cheese. I have mixed with this Italian all naturally flavored sugar I just had to digg with the spoon a couple of times before I could continue follow your recipe. Your cheese cakes bars recipe is absolutely phenomenal Thank you 🙂
Chef Dennis
Thanks Ann!
Lail | With A Spin
Delicious!
Chef Dennis
Thank Lail!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
What delicious bars, I love the cookie crust!
Chef Dennis
Thanks Laura, it was a nice change from graham cracker crust