These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars are the perfect blend of cookie and cheesecake into one easy to hold bar cookie. Grab a glass of milk...you are going to need it!
It's a good thing I just HAD to make these cookie bars this weekend.
Yesterday a group of friends and I ran a Warrior Dash. It was so much fun, but now I know that the 6 workouts that I did before it totally did not help me to be ready to run and to do obstacles.
The only thing that kept me going through the mud and over the walls was the thought of these delicious bar cookies waiting for me in my refrigerator.
You want me to run through ankle deep mud? And climb over the top of a 15 foot wall that only has two by fours and a slippery muddy rope on it? Run over slippery, muddy hills? Walk over boards that are covered in mud? And now swim through water, and then get out and do more of the same thing?
Seriously the only thing that kept me going was chanting "cookie bars, cookie bars, cookie bars!"
Well, that and the fact that my 14 year old son could run laps around me doing this. For the record, he has been playing soccer since the end of June. He is a little more in shape than I am. But it was great motivation for me to keep going. No way was I going to let him finish without me. He did get over the line first, but my husband and I were close behind. I have some pictures of the mud madness that I will share later this week.
If you ever have a chance to do a mud run, I would say go for it!!!
Although, I also would say, do more training than what I did. "Walking" to the kitchen for food and "lifting" cookies and pies probably isn't the right kind of workout to do before climbing walls and swimming in mud. But it is definitely one of the funniest things you will ever do. We laughed so much at every obstacle. I mean when you are completely covered in mud and you can't get up the hill, what else can you do?
Today I am a little sore, and I am planning on relaxing on the couch with a book or some TV....and a few of these chocolate cookie bars.
Ok, enough about running and mud, let's talk about these cookie bars that have been staring you down the whole time. I have a few different versions here on the blog, like these Milky Way Cheesecake Cookie Bars, but I realized that I didn't have chocolate ones. That was a problem...but a good problem to have to fix.
The cookies are an easy one bowl kind of a cookie. You mix it all together and press half the dough in a pan. You can measure if you want, but I just kind of eyeball it. Then mix the cheesecake batter in another bowl. The cheesecake in the center of this one is peanut butter with lots of Reese's peanut butter cup chunks in it.
Yup, I went there again. I'm telling you those doggone Reese's just keep yelling at me from my cupboard. I have to listen each and every time. You guys don't mind my obsession with Reese's, right?
Anyway, then you cover the top of the cheesecake with the rest of the cookie dough. I found the best way to do this was to take small spoonfuls and flatten it in my hand before laying it on top. It really is ok if some of the cheesecake shows through. You are going to drizzle chocolate on top to hide all that anyway.
What are you doing still reading?
Get "running" to the store for all the ingredients. I think you will want to be "lifting" these into your mouth ASAP!
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars Recipe
Dark chocolate cookie bars with a layer of peanut butter cheesecake baked inside makes a great dessert for any dinner.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup shortening
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
For the Cheesecake
- 1 - 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 12 Reese's peanut butter cups, frozen and chopped
For the Topping
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon shortening
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, shortening, and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again.
- Stir together the salt, baking soda, flour, and cocoa powder. Slowly add to the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
- Press half the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the egg and peanut butter and beat again.
- Stir in the chopped Reese's peanut butter cups by hand. Pour over the top of the dough in the pan.
- Take spoonfuls of the leftover cookie dough and flatten in your hands. Place on top of the cheesecake gently. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for 1-2 hours, then refrigerate until cool completely. Cut into 24 bars.
- Place the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Heat 30 seconds and stir. Repeat for 15 seconds if needed.
- Spoon the melted chocolate into a plastic baggie and cut one tip off. Drizzle over the tops of the cheesecake bars. Let set. Keep refrigerated.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 407Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 219mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 2gSugar: 33gProtein: 7g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Other Reese's desserts that will keep you going through any crazy running:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Truffles
Carolyn B
I just made these-and I came up shy on the dough for the top-i weighed it and then divided and weighed again-other than that everything else was easy peasy-the house smells like a chocolate factory-My knife came out with batter-but hoping as it cools it will set-i had to use a mix of butter-flavored crisco and regular as that was all i had-used semi-sweet chips and regular cocoa as hubby does not like dark chocolate-thank you for a yummy recipe-not sure if i will put the drizzle on as it smells super rich-lol
Jocelyn
The topping doesn't completely cover the top. Some of the cheesecake showed through mine too. The bars will set as they cool and will set up completely after they chill. I hope you enjoy the bars!
carolyn b
Well they disappeared so I am making more today-these are going in the freezer as they are a christmas gift-if they are not frozen I fear they will be gone in seconds-I gave 2 to our rural mail carrier and she said she LIKED them WAYYY too much--Thank you for an awesome and easy recipe
Alyson
These bars are amazing! My family keeps requesting them instead of birthday cake. They are definitely a winner.
Sam
Looks amazing but no one likes dark chocolate in family. Can I use semi-sweet or milk chocolate and just regular cocoa powder? Same measurements?
Jocelyn
Yes, you can just use regular cocoa powder in place of the dark cocoa powder. I hope your family enjoys them!
Sara
Just made these today for Superbowl Sunday!! Taste like a chocolate explosion in my mouth... WOW!! So rich and gooey, and you are right that they make you crave a cold glass of milk. I used milk chocolate ingredients instead of dark because of what I had on hand, and the result was great. My whole family loves them! Definitely finger-licking worthy 🙂 I will definitely be making them again!!!
Norma Guillory
what size of peanut butter cups did you use?
Jocelyn Brubaker
I used the regular sized Reese's. Enjoy the bars!
Melanie @ Just Some Salt and Pepper
These look so good. The run sounds like so much fun!
Melissa @ No. 2 Pencil
Congrats on your run, and this amazing creation:0) Looks soooo good!
Liz Fourez
Seriously, you are the cheesecake creation queen!! These sounds amazing!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Liz!! 😉 I love me some cheesecake, that's for sure!! Lol!
Tonia@thegunnysack
Yum! It's got everything that is good!!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Yes, yes it does!! 😉 Thanks Tonia!!
capturing joy with kristen duke
I love a dense and hearty bar---yum!!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Haha, me too!! 😉 Thanks Kristen!!
Amy
Oh My Good-ness, Jocelyn!! Found your site via +Chef Dennis Littley (thanks to G+!) and just spent 45 minutes pouring over all your delicious, amazing recipes. I'm not sure which I'm going to devour more - your recipes or your food photography! Both are top-notch!! Keep up the great work - it's a joy to find you and share your beautiful work. 🙂
Cheers,
Amy 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thank you so much, Amy!!! I love getting super sweet comments like this from fabulous readers like you!! It totally makes me day! 😉
Theresa
Peanut butter, chocolate, cheesecake and cookies altogether? Now that is decadent. You have me thinking about dessert and I have just finished breakfast!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Haha, thank so muc Theresa!! 😉
Trish - Mom On Timeout
I'd definitely skip the mud and go straight for these bars - they look amazing!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Trish! Haha, quite a few times during the race, I felt that same way!! 😉