Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

We have been making this recipe for as long as I can remember but only around the holidays. It came from my Dad's sister Laura. The original recipe calls for pre-made Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough, but ever since Hannah and I started taking over the baking we always make our homemade chocolate chip dough, it tastes WAY better, trust me:) Plus you don't get all those preservatives! It's healthy...right??? Even if they are not the healthiest thing for you to be eating they still taste amazing, our friend after making these said she was not sure if she would ever go back to making just plain ol'chocolate chip cookies! So when you start getting your list together for the grocery store just add cream cheese, the rest is just normal all-ready-in-your-pantry ingredients.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Aunt Laura’s Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies

Cookie Dough:

¾ c. butter, softened

¾ c. sugar

¾ c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 T. vanilla

2 ¼ c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 ½ c. chocolate chips

In a large bowl cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, soda and salt till blended. Add chocolate chips. Press half the dough into the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan. Pour cream cheese filling over top. Sprinkle remaining dough on top. Bake at 325 for 45-55 min. until the cream cheese is set and dough is cooked through. Cool all the way before cutting and serving.

Cream Cheese Filling:

1 8oz.pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 egg

½ c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat till very smooth and creamy.