We are cheesecake lovers around here. My Cowboy and myself rate cheesecake as one of our top desserts! We like all different kinds too. I have yet to come across a flavor of cheesecake I didn’t find worth eating. This Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake is no exception.
About a year in a half ago, my brother and his wife introduced us to The Cheesecake Factory. I had heard good things about it, but the closest one to us is in Salt Lake City, two hours away from where we live, so we had never made a special trip to eat there. While we were visiting them, they invited us to come along with them to try it out.
It was fantastic.
The food was really good and we had some delicious entree’s there, but the cheesecake. It was a cheesecake lover’s dream! They have so many different flavors. We decided even though The Cheesecake Factory is a ways away from where we live, it is worth the occasional trek to enjoy this tasty restaurant.
For our fifth anniversary, about a month ago, we were in Salt Lake for the weekend. Needless to say, we made it to The Cheesecake Factory. Twice. Our second visit was just for some more cheesecake though 🙂
After that weekend trip where we indulged in The Cheesecake Factory’s cheesecake twice, I continued to crave cheesecake. So while we were still on our cheesecake high, I decided to make this bad boy. It totally fulfilled that craving. My sister and her family were visiting us for the weekend so she directed me to this delicious recipe.
First we have a simple graham cracker crust. You can use an Oreo crust if you like, but I really liked this cheesecake with a graham cracker bottom. We fill that crust with a classic cheesecake filling. Next we enrich the filling with a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough. To top it off, we add a smooth covering of chocolate ganache.
I simply adore a layer of ganache on a cheesecake.
Check out that cookie dough.
As much as we love cheesecake, we love cookie dough too. The combination of those two loves makes Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake a serious treat for us.
The moral of the story is; if you like cheesecake make a trip to your nearest Cheesecake Factory at least once! And to get your cheesecake fix in between visits, make this cheesecake 🙂
I promise it hits the spot.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
- 9 whole graham crackers, crushed
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2-2/3 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, divided
- 1 cup chocolate chips (we prefer 3/4 milk, 1/4 dark).
- 1/4-1/3 cup cream
- 1. Preheat oven at 350 F. Grease a 9-inch spring form pan. Combine crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and three tablespoons sugar. Mix until combined and press into pan. Bake for ten minutes.
- 1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla. Mix well. Add the eggs and beat on low until just combined. Pour over graham cracker crust.
- 1. Cream butter and sugars. Add water, then vanilla, and combine. Add flour. If it is too wet after adding 1/2 cup of flour, add up to 2/3 cup. It will be fairly sticky. Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips.
- 2. Drop by teaspoon-fulls over cheesecake filling. Gently push the dough beneath the surface of the cheesecake filling.
- 3. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips on top of the cheesecake and gently press them in.
- 4. Place spring form pan on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Pour chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl. Heat cream in the microwave until hot. I start out with 1/4 cup cream, but if it is too thick will add up to 1/3 cup of cream until I reach the consistency I want. Pour cream over chocolate chips and whisk until smooth. May need to place it in the microwave for thirty more seconds. Spread over cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate until ganache is set and serve! Cover and refrigerate leftovers.