High Yield Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Well dear readers - we've been busy, and we're so sorry. School is wrapping up for the year and we and our dear friends are about to embark on a strenuous journey of studying and memorizing - also known as Step 1 examinations.



During this year, professors always referred to information as "high yield". Sam kept getting really frustrated thinking what the heck is "high yield". It's just this ambiguous term that kept getting thrown around in reference to this darned Step 1 exam. Our friend (hi Sara!) decided to explain it to Sam in terms of baked goods: it's like getting a lot of information out of one thing - like a cake with nuts, chocolate, coconut, ganache, and sprinkles ALL IN ONE! A high yield cake!

What a brilliant idea! A high yield cake!! We promised ourselves that we'd have to make one of these creations and now is the perfect time. This will probably be one of the last posts in a while (as we go into a hole to study) but it's themed for Step 1. High yield cheesecake cookie bars.

That's right - with one bite: graham cracker crust, cheesecake filling, cookie dough bits inside, chocolate on top. That's a lot of gustatory information in one bite. High. Yield.

mmmmMMMmmmm. Look at that. So this is it folks! Wish us luck as we go on our own high yield spree - eating lots of these bars along our way. Deeeeelicious.

High Yield Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Cake adapted from: laurassweetspot

For the crust:
8 graham crackers
5 tablespoons of melted butter

Crush the graham crackers into a fine dust and then mix in the melted butter. Pat this into a 8X8 pan and bake for about 6 minutes at 325F. Let cool

For the cookie dough
5 tablespoons melted butted
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspooon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips (mini works best!)

In a bowl, mix together your melted butter and sugar until well incorporated. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cool for about 30 minutes until firm. The dough will be soupy - not like a normal room temperature based butter recipe don't worry! Once the dough is firm, remove from the fridge and roll into little balls about 1 teaspoon big. The smaller the better (which is why mini chips are awesome). Put back into the fridge to cool.

For the cheesecake filling
16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream

Cream together the cream cheese and the granulated sugar. Add in your eggs one at a time, sour cream, and vanilla.

Putting in all together!
1 teaspoon flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional): for drizzle

Take out your little chilled dough balls and toss in about a teaspoon of flour. Then fold carefully into the cheese cake filling mixture, being careful not to over mix and break apart the cookies!! Then lay this whole mixture on top of the crust that you set aside, making sure to coax every bit of filling into the corners. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 325 and once they're done and beautiful, chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours until firm.

Optionally delicious: Melt some chocolate and pipe all over these guys via ziploc bag.

Cut and serve. We just brought these to a dinner party and they were a hit! Step 1 here we come! Cookie bars, you come too. Enjoy enjoy and see you guys in about 5 weeks!

Sam & Elyse