Step 1

Preheat oven to 175c | 350° F. Line a 8-inch cast iron skillet (or pie dish) with baking/parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2

In small bowl, prepare cheesecake filling first. Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla with a beater until smooth. Set aside.

Step 3

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sweetener/sugar and vanilla, and whisk until light and creamy. Add the egg and whisk again until combined. Add the flour, baking soda and salt, and mix the dry ingredients into the wet with your hands to form a dough. If you find the dough too wet, add in a tablespoon extra flour at a time until a cookie dough is formed (a dough you can form into a ball and hold in your hands). Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.

Step 4

Press half of the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the skillet (or pie dish) to form a base. Spread cream cheese mixture over dough. With remaining cookie dough, press tablespoon-sized dough in the palms of your hands and place them over the cream cheese mixture until fully covered (they will look like patches but will smooth over while baking). Sprinkle the top with remaining chocolate chips.

Step 5

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown on the edges and firm to the touch. Cool for 30 minutes to an hour and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until chilled OR serve warm.

Step 6

Cut into 16 slices. Can be stored in the refrigerator.