Peppermint Brownie Cheescake

What is better than cheesecake, more festive for the holidays, and the best chocolaty treat around?  Peppermint Brownie Cheesecake Bars of course!

I first saw this recipe on Good Morning America 2 years ago.  I fell in love immediately and made some to give to friends and their family.  The response was wonderful!  Everyone loved these!

Lauren Brennan gave this recipe out on her blog before it was featured on GMA in a Christmas cooking special segment.  You can learn more about her and try some of her other yummy recipes here.

I shared just two pictures on my FB and Instagram accounts before I was texted and messaged for the recipe.  You can find it on the first link above, or you can follow with pictures here below J

Ingredients

1 tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 family-sized box brownie mix
2 (8oz.) packages cream cheese
2 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
2 teaspoons peppermint extract, divided
4 candy canes, crushed

Directions

Note, I made two batches in the pictures below.

Line a 13x9 pan with parchment paper and spread cookie dough along the bottom by hand to make a nice even layer..  Bake it on 350 for 12-18 minutes, or until golden. Once it starts baking a little, I pull it out and put some fork marks in it so that the middles aren’t completely undercooked.

I then put aside my cookie layer by lifting the parchment paper onto a cooling rack. 

Then, I use that same pan to bake my brownies.  The brownies are made according to the direction on the box, adding in 1 teaspoon of peppermint to the batter. 

Here are the brownies & cookie layers cooling a little on the baking rack.

 

During this time, Neal took me to the workstation in the garage where we I used a mallet to crush the candy canes.  Safety goggles of course were needed J

Once the brownies are slightly cooled, but still a little warm, I combine them with the cream cheese.  You can discard the harder cooked edges and eat them while things are baking!

 

Then, place the cookie layer on parchment paper back into the 13x9 pan so you will have solide edges while you spoon the brownie cream cheese mixture onto the baked and cooled cookie dough.

Next you need to melt white chocolate and 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract. If you have a double broiler, use it!  If you do not, like me, you can use a non-stick cooking pot and watch very carefully as you heat the chocolate on low.

Then you spread your melted chocolate over the layered cookie and brownie creation.  The chocolate doesn’t spead that easily, so I cut mine in with a knife and it's still very pretty.

Lastly, you will sprinkle the top with candy canes and let cool until the chocolate is hardened.  You can speed up this process by putting them in the fridge.

 
 Enjoy!