Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

My husband has a bake-off every year at work and asked for me to make two desserts to enter in the contest.  I sent him an email with several recipes and asked for him and his sales guys to choose which ones I should make.  The votes were for my Red Velvet Cake Truffles and these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars I found on Brown Eyed Baker.

These bars have 3 layers with different flavors and textures that create the best little cheesecake bite you've ever tasted.  My favorite cookies are chocolate chip, so I was more than happy to make these since I had already bookmarked them.  I obviously had to taste them before sending them off to be judged, and they are so good and rich!

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbsp butter, melted
2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cookie Dough:
5 Tbsp butter, room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:
10 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Prepare a 9x9 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all 4 sides.  This will help you lift it out easily so you can cut into bars. 

For Crust:

Crush graham crackers into crumbs to make 1  1/2 cups.  In a small bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until moistened.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Press crust mixture evenly into bottom of pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Set pan on wire rack to cool.

For Cookie Dough:

In a large stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract at medium speed until smooth.  Add the flour and mix on low speed just until incorporated.  Remove bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.  Set aside in a bowl.

For Cheesecake:

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating just until blended.  Pour the batter into cooled, baked crust.  Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the top of the filling.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until set.  Place in the refrigerator to chill for 4 hours.  When cheesecake is cooled and completely set, lift entire cheesecake out of pan using the parchment paper overhang.  Cut into small bars and serve cold.  Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

Here's our family's entries for the bake-off.  

Linked up at:
Tuesday Night Supper Club at Fudge Ripple