Carnival of Recipes #52

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Squares

WARNING: Should you choose to make these, if your circle of friends and family is anything like mine, you will become a SLAVE to these. “Ooh, you’re coming for such and such an event, bring your brownies!” “I have another great...” “NO YOU WILL BRING THE BROWNIES. END OF DISCUSSION.”

You will need (on hand at all times, apparently):
2 packages of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
2 8 oz. bricks of cream cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Press one package of cookie dough into the bottom of a 9x13 brownie pan. It only needs to cover the bottom.
2. In a mixer, combine the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cookie dough in the pan.
4. Drop the second package of cookie dough bit by bit to cover the cream cheese mixture.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cream cheese is set.

Cooking notes:

• I have made this recipe many, many times, and here are some things I’ve learned about it.
• Nestle’s Toll House cookie dough works the best. I’ve tried using the store brand, but I end up having problems with the bottom layer adhering to the cream cheese mixture.
• Using 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese is fine. In fact, I don’t think I’ve made it with full fat cream cheese yet.
• Sometimes, pressing the dough into the pan can get sticky. A damp paper towel can be used to help the process along.
• REALLY use the cream cheese being set as the measure of done-ness. I usually like to grab a pot holder and jiggle the pan to check. When it doesn’t wiggle, it’s finished. Sometimes, I’ve baked these for 30 minutes, sometimes 40 minutes. Make sure the cheese is set, or they become too gooey and can’t be cut.
• The BEST way to serve these: make them the day before you need them. After baking, cool the pan to room temperature, then put the ENTIRE PAN into the refrigerator (before cutting them into brownies) until you need them. Just before serving, cut them into squares (24 is a good sized square). The cheese mixture becomes almost cheese-cake like.

Enjoy!!