Cream Cheese Cookie Bars

More fun with cookie dough! Last week I made a double batch of Toll House's Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies. Two dozen cookies were baked up immediately for my kids' school lunches, five dozen cookie dough balls were made up and frozen for future use, three of which were used for the Cookie Dough Cupcakes last Friday, and last but not least, I put aside three cups of cookie dough to make Cream Cheese Cookie Bars. These cookie bars are a popular treat in our home. The recipe is so simple, it may be good for beginner bakers as the little ones will surely love pressing cookie dough into the baking dish. The bars are also great for potlucks and usually bring many recipe requests. Make some this week with your favorite cookie dough. I think the possibilities may be endless.

Cream Cheese Cookie Bars
1- 8 ounce brick cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
3 cups chocolate chip cookie dough

Preheat oven to 350°. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix the first four ingredients until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes on med-high speed. Into an 8x8 inch greased baking dish, evenly press 2 cups cookie dough. Pour cream cheese mixture over top and spread to edges of dish. Break the remaining dough into small pieces and sprinkle over top of cream cheese mixture. Lower oven heat to 325° and bake bars for 35-40 minutes or until tester comes out (almost) clean. Let cool completely out on the counter before cutting into 16 equal pieces. Chilling in the refrigerater for one hour before removing cut bars prevents breakage. Refrigerate leftovers (if any!)

Note- I baked my bars for about 38 minutes. Although the tester came out with a little cream cheese mixture on it, I still removed the bars from the oven and they set up nicely once they cooled. I did this to avoid overcooked edges.