Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Last month, I made this cheesecake for my birthday. I absolutely LOVE the Cheesecake Factory's version and was hoping I would be able to replicate it. It isn't quite like the cheesecake factories, but it will definitely do when your in a bind and someone loves a cheesecake full of chocolate chip cookie dough! 

Unfortunately, my cheesecake was a little "jiggly" in the middle. It didn't set all the way and I had cooked it over it's recommended baking time. My mom and I think it's because my crust was so thick... I want to give this recipe a try one more time, but probably not for a long while--well at least until someone request it for their birthday! All in-all I was pleased with it and it satisfied my birthday sweet tooth! 

I'm posting this recipe today in honor of my mother's birthday!

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes + chill time

Serves: 12

Ingredients for Crust:
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I did not have these on hand so I opted to go the traditional route)

Ingredients for Filling:
4 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream (I used light and it worked just fine)

Ingredients for Cookie Dough:
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoon water or milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips
An additional 1 cup mini chocolate chips to fold into the batter with the cookie dough balls

Ingredients/Directions for Garnish:
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks (add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar while whipping if you like a bit of extra sweetness)
Mini chocolate chips, for sprinkling

Directions for the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, combine the butter and sugars for the cookie dough. Add the water (or milk), vanilla and blend. Mix in the flour, salt and the chocolate chips. The dough will be fairly soft. Gently roll the dough into small balls (about a teaspoon size, maybe a bit larger) and place them on a wax paper lined plate or baking sheet. Place them in the freezer to harden while making the rest of the cheesecake.

Directions for the crust: Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, combine the butter with the chocolate cookie crumbs (you could easily use a food processor to crush the cookies and incorporate the butter). Press onto the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the prepared pan.

Directions for the cheesecake: Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour until smooth. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix just until blended. Be careful not to overmix – incorporating too much air into the batter can contribute to a cheesecake cracking on top during baking.

Pour half the batter into the prepared crust. Gently stir in the cookie dough balls and the additional 1 cup mini chocolate chips into the remaining batter. Pour into the pan, spreading the batter to the sides of the pan and evening it out across the top (it is ok to see bumps of cookie dough here and there, smooth it the best you can). Bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees for one hour. Turn off the oven and prop the door open several inches. Let the cake sit in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate until chilled (ideally, overnight). To serve, cut into slices and top with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips.


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