Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Balls

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.
2. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and flour until combined (Use low speed to keep less air from getting into the batter, which can cause cracks). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.
4. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until well combined.
5. Pour cheesecake batter into springform pan.
6. Place springform pan (covered with aluminum foil) inside another pan. Fill outside pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. The water should not go above the top edge of the aluminum foil on the springform pan.
7. Bake for 1 hour.
8. Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in oven with door closed for 30 minutes.
9. Crack oven door and leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
10. Remove cheesecake from oven and chill until completely cool and firm.
11. Once cheesecake is ready, make the cookie dough. Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
12. Mix in vanilla extract.
13. With the mixer on low speed, add flour and salt and mix until combined.
14. Add milk and mix until combined.
15. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
16. Make balls of about 1/2 tbsp of cookie dough until you’ve use up all of the cookie dough. Refrigerate to keep firm.
17. Spoon out 2 tablespoons of cheesecake at a time. Mash it together just a bit in your hands to get it to come together, then flatten it out in your palm. Place the cookie dough ball in the center and wrap the cheesecake around it, forming a ball.
18. Repeat until all the cheesecake is gone. You make have a few balls of cookie dough left over, but most of it should be used. Refrigerate cookie dough cheesecake balls to keep firm.
19. Once all the balls are made, microwave chocolate chips and shortening together. I did about half of the chocolate and shortening at a time. Some pieces will end up being left behind in the chocolate, so a fresh batch half way through is nice. To melt the chocolate and shortening, microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring well between each, until melted.
20. The next step is to dip the balls in chocolate. The balls are fairly large, so I found it easiest to drop the ball in the bowl of chocolate, use a spoon to spread the chocolate over it, then lift it out with a fork and set it on parchment paper to dry.
21. Once you’re done dipping all the balls in chocolate, microwave the white chocolate chips in a small bowl in 20 second intervals, stirring well between each, until melted. Drizzle the white chocolate over the balls. This will help cover any imperfections in your chocolate. Allow balls to dry completely and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.