Samoa Cheesecake Bars

Catching up with lifelong friends and baking go hand in hand. Also there is not much better to do on a rainy Saturday during the summer than to bake up something delicious. So while perusing Pinterest, one of my best friends and I looked at easily 500 dessert recipes and through multiple food magazines looking for something sweet. We decided to go with the Samoa Cheesecake Bars and boy let me tell you they did not disappoint!

Ingredients:

Oreo Crust:
• 20 Oreos
• 5 Tablespoons of melted butter

Cheesecake Layer:
• 16 Ounces of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 Large egg
• 1/4 Cup of sugar
• 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

Coconut Caramel Layer:
• 11 Ounce package caramels, we used Kraft
• 3 Tablespoons of heavy cream
• 1 1/2 Cup coconut, toasted

Chocolate Drizzle:
• 1 Cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 pan with aluminum foil with plenty extra over the edges so that it is easy to remove.

2. In a food processor, pulse the oreos into a fine crumb. In a mixing bowl, stir the crushed oreos and melted butter together. Then press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 9-10 minutes. Let cool.

3. Beat together the cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla until it is a smooth creamy texture. Spread over the crust. Bake this for 30-35 minutes or until the cheesecake layer is set.

4. Let cool completely and then refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. Now on to the coconut caramel layer, add the caramel and heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl and cook for 30 seconds in the microwave until the texture is melted and smooth. Mix in the toasted coconut. Let this mixture cool for about 10 minutes and spread on top of the cheesecake layer. Put back into the fridge for 3 hours.

6. Final step! Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for about 30 seconds at a time unitl the chocolate is smooth. Drizzle on top of the caramel. Let bars sit for about 30 minutes before cutting to let the caramel soften a bit so they are easier to cut.

I would be lying if I said I didnt eat half of the batch. They were just SO good and SO flavorful. I cant wait to make them again! The only complaint that I have in making this is how long it takes to make, there are many steps and alot of setting and refrigerating.