What's better than two layers of chocolate chip cookie dough with a cream cheese layer in between? With only a few pantry staples and loads of semisweet chocolate chips, these Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Bars are an addictive and wonderful after dinner treat that will not disappoint.
These gooey Creamy Chocolate Chip Bars are just as good as they sound. They're soft and so flavorful. And cream cheese always adds an element of wonderfulness to any recipe.
You can't go wrong when you make this delectable treat that is made with gluten free, soy free, and dairy free ingredients.
These gluten and dairy free chocolate chip cream cheese dessert bars are also a great spur of the moment snack, as we almost always have all the ingredients on hand.
And when the Kite Hill Plain Cream Cheese is on sale, we like to stock up for baking this recipe and our Cheesecake Brownie recipe everyone loves.
This easy to follow recipe is a fun mashup of our chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe and dairy free cream cheese. Why not combine the two for an out of this world treat to share with family and friends?
And the next time you are craving homemade soft chocolate chip cookies with an emphasis on the chocolate chips, bake these.
Ingredients to Gather
Get more info on these ingredients (like quantities) in the recipe card at the bottom of the post alongside the recipe instructions. This section is for our brand suggestions and tips for choosing the best ingredients.
- dairy free butter-- our go-to is Earth Balance Buttery Sticks
- gluten free all-purpose flour-- use the spoon and level method described below. Our favorite gluten free blend is Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Mix. This mix does contain xanthan gum.
- xanthan gum-- omit if your all-purpose gluten free flour blend contains this or guar gum
- baking soda-- keep in mind this loses its potency after being opened more than 6 months. We like to label a new baking soda container with the date we open it so where are always using a fresh container.
- kosher salt
- brown sugar-- packed
- granulated sugar
- large eggs-- room temperature
- vanilla extract-- we bake with the McCormick brand
- semisweet chocolate chips-- the two brands we keep stocked in our home are Enjoy Life mini chips or chunks and Nestle Toll House Allergy-Free Chocolate Chip brand. We purchase the Nestle Toll House Allergy-Free chips from Walmart. They are free from the top 8 common allergens, and are the traditional chocolate chip size.
- dairy free plain cream cheese-- we like the Kite Hill Plain Cream Cheese brand; you can use your favorite brand of cream cheese
- nonstick spray or parchment paper
Recipe Instructions
Full recipe with ingredients and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the screen.
Line baking pan with parchment paper. Make cookie dough and press part of it into the lined baking dish.
Make cream cheese filling.
Cover cookie dough with the filling.
Add drops of the rest of the cookie dough on top of the cream cheese filling to make the top crust.
Bake until puffed, a golden brown in color, and the center of the dessert has set.
Remove from the oven, let cool on a cooling rack before slices and serving.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- large mixing bowls or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- large spatula
- angled spatula-- we use our spatula almost every day for dinner, snack, or dessert recipes. With the angled spatula you can easily and more evenly move batter to the corners of the dish.
- 8x8-inch square baking dish-- we use these pyrex dishes with the lids that fit perfectly and stack well in the refrigerator
Frequently Asked Questions
This is an important tip for any baking you do with flour. Honestly, the spoon and level method is considered the most accurate method for measuring flour.
Simply put, this method is exactly what it sounds like. You'll use a spoon to scoop the flour into your measuring cup.
Then, you'll level off the top with the back of a knife so the flour is level with the top of the measuring cup.
If you scoop your dry measuring cup into the flour bag, you can surprisingly end up packing the flour and increase the flour in recipes by ¼ cup. Yeeks!
We have been guilty of this over the years, but now that we know... we know and we always take the extra step to grab a large spoon and knife.
Yes, you can make these ahead of time. Once you've baked them, store them properly up to 1-2 days ahead of time.
Yes, you can double this recipe. We used an 8x8-inch baking dish to make these dessert bars. If you double this recipe and use a 9x9-inch, they'll be super thick, so you could just use a 9x13-inch pan and they'll be slightly thinner, or use two 8x8-inch pans.
We store our baked chocolate chip cream cheese bars tightly covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
More Gluten and Dairy Free Desserts
- nutter butter cookies-- Soft peanut butter buttercream loaded with delicious peanut butter flavor, sandwiched between two soft, crispy-edges. Nutter Butter cookies are a mouthwatering and decadent cookie.
- coffee blondies-- falling somewhere between cookie bars and brownies, these blondies are soft, chewy, and the ultimate rich dessert. Plus the coffee flavor enhances these dessert bars even more to rock star-level dessert.
- puppy chow-- also known as muddy buddies, these decadent chocolate peanut butter cereal treats are perfect for after school, traveling snacks or for an after dinner treat
- fudgy brownies-- crispy edges, fudgy middles, and a deep rich flavor, these will be your new go-to brownie recipe
We just love these Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Bars and know they will be a favorite of yours too. You won't even believe something so good is possibly gluten free, dairy free, and even soy free.
You will want to share these at your next BBQ, potluck, game night, or holiday dessert table.
Speaking of dessert table, have you seen our new Holiday Recipes Cookbook??? It features over 50 of our favorite tried and true recipes to serve for a bunch of different holidays all throughout the year!
Grab your copy now and get it delivered right to your inbox with just a few clicks!
Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Bars
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Ingredients
- ½ cup dairy free butter 1 stick
- 1¼ cup gluten free all-purpose flour spoon and level method
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your gf all-purpose blend contains this or guar gum
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup dairy free semisweet chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces dairy free cream cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Chocolate Chip Cookie Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 8x8-inch pan with nonstick spray or place a layer of parchment paper on the bottom; set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it melts and just begins to boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
- While the butter cools, prepare the remaining cookie dough.
- In a large mixing bowl or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the sugars, egg, and vanilla extract until just combined.
- Scrape down the side of the bowl as needed. and add the butter.
- Add in the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt and combine. Then fold in the semisweet chocolate chips.
- Remove one cup of the cookie batter for the topping; set aside.
- Then evenly place the remaining chocolate chip cookie batter in the bottom of a 8x8-inch pan.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a medium-sized bowl combine the cream cheese, egg, vanilla extract, and sugar until mixed.
- Using an angled spatula evenly spread the cream cheese mixture across the baking dish of cookie batter.
- Lastly drop small chunks of the remaining chocolate chip cookie batter over the cream cheese mixture. You will not cover all the cream cheese mixture, just most of it.
- Bake for 30-32 minutes until puffed, golden and the center has set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Cut into 12 bars and serve. Tightly cover leftovers and refrigerate.
Notes
- Get the answers to the most frequently asked questions in the FAQ section.
- Run the blade of your knife under hot water before slicing the bars to make it easier. Also wipe the blade clean in between each new slice to create cleaner cutting dessert bars.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
These Nutritional Facts are ESTIMATED. Your actual nutritional info with this recipe may vary depending on the brands you choose. “Eating Gluten and Dairy Free” is not a registered dietician or nutritionist. The provided nutritional info above is based on a generic calculator, if you want more accurate info, use your nutritional calculator of choice where you can choose brands and get more info that way.
Pat k.
Friday 29th of April 2022
Moist and not too sweet I had to threaten physical harm to anyone if they ate my gluten free dessert. A much needed gluten free sweet.
Jill
Thursday 19th of May 2022
We love hearing you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for the 5 star review, Jill