Best Friend Cheesecake Bars

My Grandma has the longest love affair with Peanut M&Ms. 91 years strong. And I’m behind her with just 37 years of loving that candy, but I’ll catch up. These bars can easily be made without M&Ms. And if we made them at the shop we’d probably crumble more best friends into the filling - so go ahead and do that! But in honor of my Grandma’s 91st and her being a best friend to me I filled it with M&Ms. 

Base: 

1 ¼ cups flour 

½ cup brown sugar 

¼ cup sugar 

1 tsp salt 

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1/4lb (1 stick) butter - nice and soft 

1 egg

Cheesecake Topping: 

2 8oz blocks cream cheese - nice and soft 

¼ cup cream 

1 cup sugar 

3 eggs 

1 tsp vanilla bean paste 

Candy or Chocolate Chip Cookies/Best Friends to top 

Preheat oven to 350 

Mix together all the base ingredients and press into a greased 9x9 pan. Bake for 20 minutes + reduce oven to 325. 

Mix all Cheesecake Topping together until it’s smooth. Top the Cookie Base and spread evenly. Add any additional candy or cookie toppings. Bake for 30 minutes (until the middle is jiggly but not loose or liquidy). Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let sit for 1 hour. Store in the fridge for at 4 to fully harden. 

Enjoy!