Cookie Bottom Cheesecake Squares

Happy 4th!! So it's technically not cheesecake season and this isn't your typical 4th of July dessert but I made one anyway. Though cheesecake is typically our fall sweet treat, I'd say cheesecake knows no season. You should be able to have comfort food when ever you crave it. So when my mom asked me for a cheesecake with an oreo cookie bottom for her birthday, I had to oblige. This recipe is simple. No fancy tools required. Just a hand mixer and something to smash some cookies. In addition to being simple, it's made with reduced fat ingredients so you don't have to feel bad eating it. Don't feel the need to follow in my footsteps though.  I only made it with reduced fat ingredients because I was asked. Of course,  if you do use low fat cream cheese and reduced fat oreos you might want to add  some additional oreos to the top of your cheesecake. Yes ... know you want to.

Cookie Bottom Cheesecake
Makes 12 Squares

Ingredients

16 - 20 oreo cookies
4 tablespoons of butter (melted)
3 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese
1 cup of  sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla
3 eggs

Tools: 8 x 8 pyrex dish, hand or stand mixer
Optional -food processor, parchment paper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place parchment paper cut to the size of the dish in the bottom of the pyrex

Crush oreo cookies

Add butter to crushed oreo cookies. Mix well

Press oreo mixture into the bottom of the pyrex dish.

Make sure it is spread evenly.

Add cream cheese and sugar to a medium bowl/stand mixer and mix until smooth.

Blend in vanilla.

Add eggs, one at a time.

Mix just until incorporated (do not over mix)

Pour cream cheese batter over oreo crust

Bake for approximately 45 minutes until to edges are firm.

Turn oven off and allow cheesecake to sit in oven for an additional 15 to 30 min (this should help prevent cheesecake from cracking).

Chill in fridge until ready to serve.