I’m so happy to be posting these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars today. I feel like celebrating, just a little!
Let me try to explain…
This blogging thing is a crazy thing. When I started a year ago, I had no idea what it was all about. I enjoyed following a few well known bloggers, but I really didn’t know how people could call this -sharing recipes with pretty pictures- their actual JOB. How could they be so passionate about it? I still remember laying in bed, trying to think of a cute name to call my baby blog-to-be. I had no idea of the journey I was about to begin.
Well, a year later and I’m still learning something new every day, but I feel like it’s starting to become a big part of who I am, and I’m just loving it! I love dreaming up what recipe I’ll try next, and I love styling food and photographing it so that it looks as beautiful on your screen as it does on my kitchen table. I love how all of you leave me sweet comments and questions, and even tell me you tried the recipe and LOVED it too! I’ve never experienced a runner’s high (just pure exhaustion), but I’m definitely on cloud nine when something floating around in my brain comes to fruition and inspires someone else to do their thing in their own kitchen.
I feel like my first year of consistently posting recipes, doing my best to say no to mediocre, learning from and being inspired by fellow bloggers, and connecting with readers who like what they see here has been immensely satisfying for me. It scratches me where I itch so to speak! So thank you to all of you who take the time to read my ramblings, make my recipes, and “like” my whatever. Whether you are a fellow blogger, a faithful friend of LLK, or just stopped by for the cheesecake, I big fat puffy HEART you!
Now onto the cheesecake! This is me pulling out the big guns – make this recipe when you need a dessert this does NOT mess around. These bars are really rich and buttery and creamy and chocolatey and just so good. Here’s what you do:
Make your oatmeal cookie crust, bake for 10 minutes and then top with the chocolate chip cheesecake batter. Bake for another 40 minutes, then refrigerate until set. Cut into bars, and then here’s the fun part, turn them upside down and give them a gentle dunk in chocolate.
See that glossy chocolate coating? It’s really delicate, and because of the coconut oil, it doesn’t crack into a million pieces and fall into your lap when you take a bite. I learned that trick from Gerry from the wonderful Foodness Gracious in his Chocolate Covered Strawberry recipe.
If you love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and if cheesecake holds a special place in your heart, you must make these! I promise you will big fat puffy HEART love them too.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars are for when you want a dessert that does NOT mess around!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
For the Cheesecake
- 16 ounces cream cheese (2 blocks) softened at room temperature
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
For the Chocolate Coating
- 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, mix together oats, dark brown sugar, flour, baking soda, and melted butter by hand until well combined.
- Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave a couple of inches hanging over the edges on two sides.
- Firmly press the oat mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes and then remove from the oven. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed, mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add eggs one at a time, and mix until just combined. Avoid over mixing so that you don’t incorporate too much air into the cheesecake batter.
- Mix in vanilla, and then flour, and lastly the chocolate chips.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the oat crust and smooth to the edges. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 40 minutes. The middle should still be slightly unset when you take it out of the oven.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for one hour, and then refrigerate for at least four more hours before cutting.
- Lift the cheesecake out of the pan using the parchment paper onto a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slice the cheesecake into nine squares.
- To make the chocolate coating, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir. If needed, add 10 more seconds.
- Gently holding the bottom of each bar, dip the top third of the cheesecake into the chocolate coating and allow the excess to drip off. The chocolate will harden, but will still be easy to bite into even when cold.
- Repeat with remaining bars and refrigerate until serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bar
- Calories: 513
- Sugar: 29g
- Sodium: 277mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 21g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2.3g
- Protein: 7.5g
- Cholesterol: 113mg
These bars are incredible, love everything about them. Great pics too!
Thanks, so kind of you to say!
These look absolutely wonderful. Love how you dipped them in chocolate – each one looks perfect. Beautiful pictures – can’t wait to try them. Congrats on your year of blogging!!
Thanks so much Geraldine!
Wow, these look absolutely perfect Julie! I’m for sure book marking these 🙂
Hope you love them as much as I do Gerry. Thanks so much!
Congrats on the one year Julie! These bars look amazing, as usual.
You’ve been a huge encouragement to me Sally! Thanks so much.
Julie: great post! So inspiring to hear bloggers talk about their journey as food bloggers. Very inspirational. You’re doing a great job. Love all your sweet recipes and photography 🙂
Thank you for the encouraging words Katya. I adore the welcoming space you’ve created at Little Broken as well!
Wow, you really went above and beyond the clouds for this post Julie. It is so beautiful. These photos! Wow! Here is to another year of amazing growth and potential!
What a sweet comment Katie. Thank you!
These are spectacular — and so are your photos! Congrats on your one year anniversary!
Thanks Sue!
Hey Julie ! You have awesome blog. The quality of the images is just amazing, I can’t stop look at the food here =)) Best of luck !
Very kind of you to say, Vencislav. Thanks for stopping by and saying hello!
Another great post, Julie! Love hearing about someone’s journey as a blogger. As a food blogging newbie I love to hear that you still enjoy it a year later! And these bars….they look a-ma-zing!
Thanks so much Lindsay! Hard to believe you are new to blogging – your styling and pics are fantastic.
I’m so glad I stumbled across your blog when I did. I honestly can’t remember what got me here but I was instantly a fan. This blogging thing really does have a way of taking over your life, doesn’t it? I think almost all of us start out the same way and then, pow, watch out! These bars look crazy good. Dangerously, crazy good.
So true Valerie. Thanks so much for your kind words!
I feel the same way about blogging. . it’s still pretty fun and definitely fulfilling!! and oh my goodness. . these are divine!!! Pinned! can’t wait to try!!
Thank you Alice. I’m sure there are moments when we all feel overwhelmed with blogging, but I really feel so blessed to have found this little niche! Thanks for pinning!
They look incredible! Wow! I just love the chocolate dipped top – so sweet!
Hi!
Just to drop by to say thank you for the recipe. I baked this and it was sinfully yummy!
Thanks so much!
I have been searching for something special and DIFFERENT to bake and I believe I have found it! these look fabulous; thank you for sharing!!
Congratulations on your year and 1/2 on the blogging circuit!!! Woohoo!
Thanks Ellie. Hope you love this cheesecake like I do!
Thanks for the recipe.
You are very welcome!
I stumbled across this recipe on Buzzfeed and it was delicious. I didn’t have enough cream cheese so I filled the rest up with light greek yogurt and added a tablespoon of cornflour. Absolutely delicious – thank you!
So glad you liked them Elisha! They are a favorite of mine for sure!
I need these oatmeal chocolate cheesecake bars in my life asap 🙂 It looks fabulous!
Hi Irina! Hope you get the chance to make them soon!
AND they are healthy (oats and coconut oil) 🙂
Yummmm!!! I am totally making these!!!
I was just wondering, can I use whipped cream cheese and if so, do I use the same amount?
I think that might give them a lighter texture, but I have not tried it so I am not sure how they will turn out. If you decide to try it, let me know how it goes.
Hi Julie,
I’d like to bake these for an upcoming Christmas charity bakesale and wanted to get your opinion about doubling the recipe. If I doubled the recipe, do you think a 13 x 9 pan would suffice? Thank you for your input!
Can these be made without eggs?
The egg helps the cheesecake firm up when baked, so I don’t think in this case it would be a good idea to leave it out.