Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

If you're a cheesecake fan who loves the flavors of orange and chocolate, then you're going to fall in love with this easy recipe for Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars.

Many friends who have tried them find them simply irresistable!

All the ingredients mix together easily and require no extra baking equipment.

And if you make homemade treats often, then you're likely to already have all these ingredients in your refrigerator and pantry all ready to go.

The lovely orange aroma and taste comes from grated orange peel and this sometimes the trickiest part for beginning bakers.

Just remember that you want to try and grate (or zest) the orange colored part of the peel. The white stuff that lies beneath is called pith and is actually more bitter in taste.

So, the moral here is the less pith, the better!

Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars Recipe

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup flaked or shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar and melted butter and stir until well mixed.
Press mixture evenly into bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan.
Bake crust for 7 to 8 minutes.
In a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, egg, vanilla and orange peel until thoroughly combined.
Spread this mixture evenly over baked crust layer.
In a small bowl, stir together the chopped nuts, chocolate chips and coconut.
Sprinkle mixture evenly over cream cheese layer, pressing in lightly.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and set pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Cut cooled bars into desired size and shape.