Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bites

For all who have tasted these little bites of deliciousness…words cannot quite describe them, but they are a combo of two of the best things in the world of baking.

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tablespoons butter, melted
2/3 cup miniature chocolate chips

Cookie Dough
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°.

Butter a 9″-square baking pan. Line pan with foil; butter the foil.
To prepare the crust, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter until crumbs are moistened. Stir in the mini-chocolate chips (You can use chopped up regular chocolate chips if you don’t want to buy minis!). Press crust mixture into bottom of pan and 1 inch up sides. Bake for 6 minutes. Set pan on wire rack to cool.

Next, prepare the cookie dough. Using an electric mixer, mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract at medium speed until smooth. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour. Mix just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.
To prepare the filling, beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix just until blended.
Pour cheeescake filling into baked crust. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the top of the filling.
Bake about 30 minutes, or until set. Transfer to wire rack. Drizzle with chocolate when slightly cooled.

Guilt-less Cookies

Sometimes, the mood to bake springs on me with little to no warning. Luckily, I always try to have the baking essentials handy for spontaneous moments like today.
A cookie is a wonderful thing; small, sweet, easily changeable (in terms of ingredients), and delicious raw (cookie dough) or baked, hot or cold. Unfortunately, I probably eat WAY too many sweets so today I opted for the “healthy” baking experience. May I present a low fat cookie that is slightly guilt-free?

“Healthy” desserts often get a bad rap due to bad taste, lack of taste, odd texture, etc. This cookie, however, is a shining star in the world of healthified cookies…and I am not just saying that because I baked it in my kitchen.

Low Fat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup plain, unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars. Beat in the egg, followed by the applesauce and the vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture and the oats until just combined; stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet, flattening each cookie slightly.
Bake for about 10-12 min. Cookies will be light brown at the edges when done.
Let cool on sheet for 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe courtesy of Baking Bites.