White chocolate cranberry cheesecake cookie bars are a fresh and tart answer to a holiday dessert. Let’s face it, everybody brings pie or crumbles. Why not make white chocolate cranberry cheesecake cookie bars and stand out from the crowd?

I have never been a betting person. In fact, two of the times in my whole entire life I have gambled, I lost instantly. The first time, I tried to play roulette and first spin—shocker—loss.

The second time I tried to play blackjack in an Arizona casino. I put $10 in and I was out after the first hand.

Tell me: Where is the thrill or fun in that!?!?!

The past three years, I have had a sure fire bet on my hands here with my little Jack Jack. Last week, Andy came down with what can only be described as a watered down version of croup.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and every year, like clockwork, little Jack, my sure bet, gets sick. As soon as Andy came down with his little affliction, I told Mike (and basically anybody who would listen to my stay-at-home mom tale of sick kids), “i will bet you $100 that jack is sick for Thanksgiving.”

I told that to probably 10 people. Where is my $1,000, Universe???

I never bet on anything and I sure as heck deserve a little payout after almost two weeks of sick kids.

I need to cut myself some slack when kids get sick. It’s ok that the laundry didn’t get done for one more day. The dishes can wait until later. And for the love of Pete, Stef, it is ok to just rest and watch some housewives on the couch and close your eyes for 10 minutes.

A great pay off for hard mom-ing is white chocolate cranberry cheesecake cookie bars. 

I deserve a whole pan of these!

It is also certainly ok to eat white chocolate cranberry cheesecake cookie bars for lunch and snack and dessert all in one day.

I am sure I burned it off running up and down stairs answering the boys beckon calls for tissues or booty wipes.

And on that booty wipe note, I will leave you with this one last thing: if you happen to be looking for a Thanksgiving-ish dessert to make tomorrow that isn’t a pie or crisp or crumble, white chocolate cranberry cheesecake cookie bars will definitely fill that gap in the dessert menu.

A similarly delicious dessert would be brown butter white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Think the ones from Subway or Potbelly’s BUT BETTER!

You can’t go wrong with white chocolate around the holidays.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Yield: 12-16 bars

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

a cookie layer topped with creamy cheesecake filling, white chocolate chips, and fresh cranberries makes for one spectacular dessert.

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Ingredients

• For the cookie layers:
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups granulated suagr
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup fresh cranberries, chopped in half
• For the cheesecake layer:
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides as needed.
2. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix on low to combine, scraping down sides as needed.
3. Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and 1 cup of white chocolate chips. Mix on low until combined.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" baking pan with parchment paper and set off to the side.
5. In a food processor, mix together the cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla until creamy and smooth.
6. Spread about 3/4 of the cookie dough mixture in the prepared pan. Smooth out into one even layer. Top the cookie layer with the cheesecake mixture. Spread over the cookie layer evenly.
7. Top the cheesecake filling with little collops of the remaining cookie batter along with remaining white chocolate chips and cranberries.
8. Bake the bars for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and still a little jiggly in the center.
9. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack and then transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight for best results.
10. Cut into 12-16 bars and then serve.

Recipe slightly adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking cookbook.