Cheesecake Cookies -- bar cookies take on the flavor of traditional cheesecake

It was just a given—Nadine Ramey, longtime librarian at Abilene High School, always made these cookies for every social function. They were a real treat and thank goodness she shared the recipe for these easy-to-make, irresistible cookies that taste like cheesecake.

Cheesecake Cookies   Makes 8 or 9" square pan of bar cookies or double the recipe and bake in a 9x12" pan, adding an extra 10 minutes to the baking time in step #8.
Crust & Crumb Topping:
   1/3 cup butter (or margarine) @ room temperature
   1/3 cup packed brown sugar
   1 cup all-purpose flour
   1/2 cup chopped nuts (Nadine used pecans)
Filling:
   8 oz. pkg. cream cheese @ room temperature
   1 egg
   1/4 cup granulated sugar
   1 tablespoon lemon juice
   2 tablespoons milk
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Crust & Crumb Topping: Line a 8 or 9" square pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing ends of paper or foil to overlap edges for easy removal of bar cookies. Spray paper or foil with pan release.
2. Cream butter and brown sugar. Add flour and nuts and mix until crumbly.
   
3. Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture for topping.
4. Spread rest of crumb mixture into prepared pan.
5. Bake 10 minutes in a preheated 325° oven -- crust should be lightly browned.
   
6. Filling: Add all filling ingredients to mixing bowl and beat until smooth (a few small lumps of cream cheese may still be visible.
   
7. Pour of slightly cooled crust. Top with reserved crumbs. 
   
8. Return to oven and bake 25 minutes longer, until filling is set.
9. When cool, remover parchment paper/foil liner from pan and cut into desired shape. Nadine cut the bars into small squares for cookie trays; I cut mine into 9 pieces for dessert sized portion. 
   
10. Refrigerate bars until ready to eat.
    

Recipe without photos . . .

Cheesecake Cookies   Makes 8 or 9" square pan of bar cookies or double the recipe and bake in a 9x12" pan, adding an extra 10 minutes to the baking time n step #8.  

Crust & Crumb Topping:
   1/3 cup butter (or margarine) @ room temperature
   1/3 cup packed brown sugar
   1 cup all-purpose flour
   1/2 cup chopped nuts (Nadine used pecans)
Filling:
   8 oz. pkg. cream cheese @ room temperature
   1 egg
   1/4 cup granulated sugar
   1 tablespoon lemon juice
   2 tablespoons milk
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Crust & Crumb Topping: Line a 8 or 9" square pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing ends of paper or foil to overlap edges for easy removal of bar cookies. Spray paper or foil with pan release.
2. Cream butter and brown sugar. Add flour and nuts and mix until crumbly.
3. Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture for topping.
4. Spread rest of crumb mixture into prepared pan.
5. Bake 10 minutes in a preheated 325° oven -- crust should be lightly browned.
6. Filling: Add all filling ingredients to mixing bowl and beat until smooth (a few small lumps of cream cheese may still be visible.
7. Pour of slightly cooled crust. Top with reserved crumbs. 
8. Return to oven and bake 25 minutes longer, until filling is set.
9. When cool, remover parchment paper/foil liner from pan and cut into desired shape. Nadine cut the bars into small squares for cookie trays; I cut mine into 9 pieces for dessert sized portion. 
10. Refrigerate bars until ready to eat.