Perfect and Fast Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 31 min
Servings: 24
Yield: 24 servings

Description

Perfect red velvet cheesecake cookie bars bring together melted chocolate draped over a layer of cheesecake on top of a cookie mix crust.

Ingredients

1 (17 1/2 ounce) pouch double chocolate cookie mix (such as King Arthur Flour®)
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
4 drops red food coloring, or more as needed
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 9x13-inch baking pan.
2 Stir cookie mix, 1/2 cup butter, 1 egg, and food coloring together in a bowl until just combined. Spread cookie dough into the prepared pan to cover entire bottom surface.
3 Beat cream cheese, sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and 3 eggs together in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Add flour, heavy cream, and vanilla extract; mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour cheesecake layer over the cookie dough layer in the pan.
4 Bake in the preheated oven until cheesecake layer is slightly golden and firm to the touch, 30 to 45 minutes. Let cool.
5 Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, about 90 seconds. Pour over the cooled cheesecake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set. Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator.