Make Ahead

Loaded Cream Cheese Cookie Bars with Animal Cracker Cookie Crust

by:
September 15, 2011
0
0 Ratings
Loaded Cream Cheese Cookie Bars with Animal Cracker Cookie Crust
  • Makes 1 Pan of Bars
Author Notes

This recipe was born out of a desire to grab whatever my inner-kid felt like using to bake with at the supermarket. Animal Cookies? Check. Cream Cheese? LOVE. Sprinkles? Yes, please! Hence I started with an animal cookie crust, layered some cream cheese icing and topped the bars with cookie batter filled with white chocolate chips and sprinkles. —FedandZested

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Crust
  • 8 ounces animal cookies
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Icing & Batter
  • 1/2 stick butter (for icing)
  • 1/2 package cream cheese (for icing)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for icing)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 stick butter (for cookie layer)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • sprinkles - to taste
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Then crush the 8 oz. of animal crackers in a bag until fine and grainy. Pour into a bowl and add in the stick of melted butter, honey, and cinnamon to make crust. Stir and then place in the bottom of a baking pan .
  2. Then place the crust in the oven until its golden brown (I put it in there for approximately 10 minutes).
  3. Next, move onto the icing and take the 1/2 stick butter, 1/2 package of cream cheese and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and stir mixture over low heat until melted together. Place in freezer or fridge for 5 or so minutes to cool slightly.
  4. While that is cooling you can make your cookie batter. Mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder together in a bowl. Then mix in the two eggs (lightly beaten together), vanilla, and butter (I use melted but not super hot so as to not effect the eggs too much.)
  5. Then add in the white chocolate chips and sprinkles to the cookie batter.
  6. Now comes the fun part – layering. You can really mix the cookie dough and the icing anyway you want. I thought it would be fun to have the icing layer in-between the crust and the cookie mixture so I spread it on very thinly right over the baked crust. Then I spread out the cookie dough in an even layer on top of the icing (careful or some of the crust will mix in).
  7. Place in oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
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4 Reviews

Athena4492
Athena4492 April 29, 2023
I made this recipe as written in a 9in square cake pan. I think this was the proper size. I did add a small amount of salt to the crust and the cookie dough because I have never come across a recipe that didn't use salt. I took the suggestion to add the icing layer on top of the crust because of the consistency. I have never seen a icing recipe that involved cooking icing on the stove either! It spread very easily and then I just patted down the cookie batter on top. All the layers stayed in place. I added extra sprinkles on top and the result was very pretty! It was hard to tell when it was done because of the gooey icing layer and the white chocolate chips but it turned out well and the kids loved them! It was a good way to use the tub of animal crackers I had languishing in the pantry.
 
Victoria A.
Victoria A. February 19, 2017
I would also like to know what size pan - 8" square or 9" square?
 
Lori S.
Lori S. February 4, 2017
Didn't list pan size in recipe. Please do, as I'd love to try these!
Thank you!!
 
Becki S.
Becki S. September 29, 2016
What size pan?