We Made Room For Dessert 8 - Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

I believe I've mentioned my obsession with Pinterest before, and this recipe I'm giving you today comes directly from a Pin I found on Pinterest.  It is super decadent, not an everyday treat, but one that once you try, you'll want again and again.  Peanut butter and chocolate are an amazing combination, and I'm more than likely to pick that as my dessert of choice.
You can find the original post here Inside BruCrew Life.

Ingredients:

For the Cookie Dough

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup Reese's peanut butter chips

1 cup Hershey's baking melts

For the Cheesecake

1 package cream cheese (8 oz.)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup peanut butter

For the topping

1/4 cup Reese's peanut butter chips

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt and cream again. Sift together the baking soda and flour. Slowly add to the butter mixture until incorporated. Stir in the peanut butter chips and baking melts by hand. Press half the dough into the bottom of an 8" pan. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the egg and peanut butter and beat until smooth. Pour on top of the cookie dough.
3. Press small pieces of cookie dough onto the top of the cream cheese layer. Continue until all the dough has been used and the cheesecake has been covered. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool completely. Cut into 16 bars.
4. In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter chips and 1/2 teaspoon shortening. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir until melted and smooth. Spoon into a plastic bag that has one corner cut off. Drizzle over bars. Repeat with chocolate chips. Keep refrigerated. Makes 16 bars.

***The only change I made was with the topping, I combined both the peanut butter and chocolate chips with the shortening for the drizzle, and then sprinkled some peanut butter chips on to finish.

Enojy!!!

Cookie Dough

Base of Bars

Cream Cheese Filling

Middle of Bars

Third Layer

Baked Bars

Topping

Finished Product!