Brownie Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Holy Loaded Cheesecake, Batman! This was an "off the cuff" recipe that I came up with the night before my husband's birthday. It had been a busy holiday month leading up to his early January birthday, and here I was at eight 'o clock at night, kids finally asleep, and no cake planned! His favorite dessert is cheesecake and I had some leftover cookie dough fudge from the holidays, so with that and a quick visit to the grocery store for brownie mix and cream cheese, I made an impromptu birthday cake and finished at 11:00 that night! (If I hadn't had the fudge already made it would have taken longer).

I start off by using Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie mix, because it saves time. This recipe already has quite a few steps so I try not to make my life harder. This is definitely a plan and make-ahead desert but it is soooo worth it!

Ingredients:

Cookie Dough Fudge

(I used this recipe)

• 12 tbsp Butter, salted (room temp)

• 1/2 cup Condensed milk, sweetened

• 1/4 cup Heavy cream

• 2 tsp Vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup Brown sugar, packed

• 1 1/4 cup All-purpose flour

• 3 cups Powdered sugar

• 1 cup Chocolate chips

Prepare a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside. Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together butter, condensed milk, and heavy cream on medium until well blended. Mix in vanilla. Add brown sugar until combined. Slow down the speed of the mixer and slowly at the flour and the powdered sugar, scraping down the edges as you go. Fold the chocolate chips into the mixture (it will be thick), and pour into prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and stick in the fridge for at least two hours.

Brownie layer

• One 10.25 oz pouch of Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie mix

• 1 egg

• 1/3 c vegetable oil

• 2 tbsp water

I used the 10.25 oz pouch of brownie mix but I kind of wish I had MORE BROWNIE in my cake, so if you're like me, you should get the 18.3 oz box. But, I'm going to be honest and tell you exactly how I did this cake. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9" springform pan and set aside. Mix all ingredients together and pour into the pan. Do not, I repeat, do not lick the spoon! Or the bowl... you have chocolate on your face, you licked the spoon, didn't you? Sigh...anyways, children, put the pan in the pre-heated oven on the middle rack and bake for about 26 minutes.

Cheesecake layer

(Adapted from the "Cheesecake Supreme" recipe from Better Homes and Garden cookbook, 12th edition)

• 3 8-oz packages of cream cheese, softened

• 1 c sugar

• 2 tbsp AP flour

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 c milk

• 3 slightly beaten eggs

• 1/2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel

While the brownie layer is baking, start on the cheesecake. Using the paddle of your stand or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla until combined. Beat in milk until smooth. Add eggs and lemon peel. Take out the fudge. You may only need half a batch depending on how loaded you want it to be, and you can save the rest to eat or freeze it. using a melon-baller or a small spoon, make 1/2 oz balls of the dough and fold them into the cheesecake batter.

When the brownie layer is done, take it out and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Turn the oven up to 375. Pour the cream cheese filling on top and use a spatula to spread it evenly across the top.

Put a large baking pan filled half-way with water in the preheated oven and set the cheesecake pan in. Set the timer for one hour. Check if it's done by sticking a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. It will take at least an hour depending on your oven, it took me an hour and a half for it to fully cook. The edges should come away from the pan slightly and the top will be a light brown. Take out of the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight.

Garnish with Dulce de leche, caramel sauce or chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

Enjoy with your favorite red wine or a sippy cup of milk ;)