1-Ready to make these chocolate cheesecake bars? Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F and lining a 9×13-inch baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. This step makes removal easy and keeps everything neat. Once set up, combine the crushed chocolate sandwich cookies with the melted unsalted butter and press it firmly into the pan.

2-Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then let it cool while you reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Next, melt the bittersweet chocolate using a double boiler over simmering water and set it aside. In a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then mix in the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and unsweetened natural cocoa powder.

3-Add the eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream, mixing just until combined, then fold in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract. Spread this filling over the cooled crust and bake for 35 minutes until the center is set but slightly jiggly. After baking, let the bars cool completely and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

4-For the Chocolate Ganache If you want to add an extra layer of indulgence, heat 1 and 1/4 cups of heavy cream until it simmers, then pour it over 16 ounces of finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute and whisk until smooth. Cool the ganache to tepid, pour it over the chilled bars, and let it set for about 1 hour before slicing with a sharp knife.