Cheesecake Cookies Cyberealm
Submitted by Stacerooh
Cheesecake cookie bars with a buttery brown sugar shortbread crust, tangy cream cheese filling, and a crumbly streusel topping. Cut into squares for easy serving.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
25 minREADY
1 hrsThese cheesecake cookie bars are a hybrid dessert that delivers the best of both worlds. A buttery brown sugar shortbread forms the crust and the crumble topping, while a tangy cream cheese filling bakes up smooth and creamy in between.
The crust mixture does double duty. Part gets pressed into the pan and baked first to set, and the reserved cup gets scattered over the cream cheese layer as a streusel topping. Same ingredients, two textures: a firm base on the bottom and a crumbly, golden topping.
Lemon juice in the filling is the quiet hero. It brightens the cream cheese and keeps the sweetness from becoming one-dimensional. Without it, the bars taste flat.
Pro Tips
- Pre-bake the crust for the full 15 minutes before adding the filling. An underbaked crust turns soggy under the wet filling.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar until completely smooth before adding the egg. Lumpy filling doesn’t fix itself during baking.
- Chill for at least one hour before cutting. The filling is soft when warm and needs time to firm up for clean squares.
- Use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts for the neatest bars.
Variations
- Add a handful of mini chocolate chips to the streusel topping for a chocolate-cheesecake cookie bar.
- Swap the lemon juice for lime juice and add a teaspoon of lime zest for a key lime cheesecake bar.
- Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam between the crust and the cream cheese filling for a fruity layer.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
In a medium-size bowl blend together butter, brown sugar, and flour with a fork until mixture resembles course crumbs.
Put 1 cup of the mixture aside for topping.
Press remaining mixture into an 8×8×2 inch baking dish . Bake for 15 minutes.
In another bowl combine sugar and cream cheese, mixing until smooth.
Thoroughly beat in egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Spread over the baked crust and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Let cool, then chill for at least 1 hour.
Cut into 16 squares; serve.
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