Crazy Cream Cheese Cookie Bars are Magic Cookie Bars combined with cheesecake. Rather than just pour the condensed milk over the crust as you would for Magic Cookie Bars, you mix it with cream cheese, egg, and vanilla to make a cheesecake batter that acts as a matrix holding all the nuts, coconut and chips together.
To make the bars a little taller, there is a layer of Oreos. I’m pretty sure other cookies would work just as well in their place and plan on trying these with vanilla sandwich cookies or Chips Ahoy.
Crazy Cream Cheese Cookie Bars
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Tall bar cookies with a thick graham crust and a topping of assorted chips and cookies held together by a cheesecake batter.
Author: Cookie Madness
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 16
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
Filling
- 1 cup (2/3 of a can or 260 grams) of condensed milk
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 cup white chips
- 1 cup or more miniature Oreos
- ½ cup coarsely chopped nuts
- 2 cups assorted chocolate chips and candies (I used chocolate, butterscotch and M&Ms)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 inch square metal pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, flour and melted butter. Stir well. Press into pan and bake for 10 minutes. Let the crust cool completely.
- Mix the condensed milk and cream cheese together in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Drizzle a thin layer of this cream cheese mixture over the cooled graham cracker crust, then sprinkle a layer of white chips evenly over cream cheese mixture. Arrange an even layer of mini Oreos over the white chips, then drizzle more cream cheese mixture over the Oreos.
- Mix together nuts and remaining chips/candy (set a big handful aside for garnish) and arrange over the Oreos. Pour a final layer of cream cheese mixture over the top, letting it kind of sink down into the cracks between the chips.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until cream cheese mixture appears stable. It should still be soft, though. It will firm as it cools and chills, so don’t be tempted to keep baking it. Remove from oven and sprinkle M&Ms and/or more chips over the top to garnish. Let cool completely and chill until very cold and firm. Lift from pan and cut into big, thick squares.
Notes
If the idea of having a partial can of condensed milk drives you crazy, you can try adding it all. However, the bars will be sweeter, and they are pretty sweet as is. I've been making the bars in a 9x9 inch square pan, but if you have loads of chocolate chips and want to make a 9x13 inch pan, try the following measurements. 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 6 T. light brown sugar 6 T. all-purpose flour 12 T. (6 oz) unsalted butter, melted 1/4 teaspoon salt Filling 14 ounces (1 can) of condensed milk 12 oz cream cheese, softened 1 large egg plus 2 tablespoons beaten egg 1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups white chips 1 1/2 cups or more miniature Oreos (approximate, maybe less) 3/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts 3 cups assorted chocolate chips and M&Ms (maybe less)
gloria says
February 18, 2013 at 1:22 amThese look like fun bars!! I think they would be great for kids’ parties of any kind!
You’ve got the creative gift!!!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
February 17, 2013 at 8:44 amMagic bars combined with cheesecake? Heck yes!
Darlene says
February 16, 2013 at 8:39 pmI wonder if that is the first time anyone has ever said that the Oreo’s help cut the sweetness. I guess the various levels of sweetness are all relative. This crust really intrigues me, I’ve never added brown sugar or flour to a graham cracker crust, but it looks delicious.
Carol says
February 16, 2013 at 4:41 pmWow! Those look so darn good!
Sue says
February 16, 2013 at 2:56 pmMy goodness those look loaded!,
Holiday Baker Man says
February 16, 2013 at 10:27 amPerfect with those kiddie play dates.