Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie Bars Recipe

Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie Bars Recipe (adapted from Pillsbury)

Ingredients

• 4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 packages room temperature cream cheese
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 5 room temperature eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 salt
• 1 1/2 – 2 packages andes mint baking chips

Directions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees
• Heat unsweetened baking chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and butter over low heat until melted and smooth.  Let cool about five minutes.
• Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, and 1 egg in a mixer on medium to low speed until smooth.
• Into cooled chocolate mixture, stir in  remaining 2 cups of sugar, remaining 4 eggs, and peppermint extract.  Stir in sifted flour and salt until combined.
• In a greased 13 x 9 inch pan, spread half the chocolate mixture.  Then, drop cream cheese over chocolate batter.  Finish by  carefully spreading the remaining chocolate mixture over the cream cheese.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.  Check by inserting a toothpick in the center, if it comes out clean its done.
• Scatter andes mint chips over the hot brownie bars after they come right out of the oven.
• Cool completely before cutting, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Merry Wednesday!  Do you think if I leave a few of these Andes Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie Bars for Santa he’ll leave me something special under the Christmas tree?  Fa, la, la, la, la, let’s hope so…

Enjoy! Buen Provecho!

Xo, Maria