Easy Cheesecake (with a Cookie Dough Crust)

I LOVE cheesecake. One of Brian and my favorite restaurants in Louisiana is called Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro. They have some amazing dishes and even more amazing cheesecake. Here in a few months we're going to the States for a little vacation and this restaurant is one of the top on my list. If you're lucky I won't share all of my list with you over the next 2 months! The thing about cheesecake is, however, I can't MAKE it. I've tried. It just always has something wrong. And it requires a WHOLE lot of cream cheese and sour cream--which are pricey or not even readily available. This recipe, while not a big, tall, amazing New York-style cheese cake, is a really good, easy, quick recipe that still has all that great cheesecake flavor without all the fuss. I'm going to share a recipe for how I do this, but you could totally just use the base and change things up. I'll give a few ideas at the bottom for things I've done. Hope you have a chance to enjoy these during the holidays this year!

Easy Cheesecake (with a Cookie Dough Crust)
2 8oz packages cream cheese (450g), softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 recipe or so Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, packaged (in America) or your favorite recipe
Choice of garnish: Crushed candy bar, chocolate shavings, chocolate or caramel sauce, fruit, etc

Press cookie dough into a 9 inch pie plate or into 12 regular sized muffin cups or about 36 mini muffin cups (I love making these smaller sized!). In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese, sugar, and eggs. Pour mixture over cookie dough. Bake at 325F (160C) for 30 to 35 minutes until set (less time for muffin sized). Remove from oven to cool. Sprinkle on any crushed candy bars or chocolate when still slightly warm--press in slightly. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ideas and Variations:

• I usually top mine with Heath toffee bits from the States, you could use other chopped candy bars or just a sauce. 
• You could use a graham cracker or Oreo crust. 
• If making in a muffin pan, just use a regular Oreo or Chips Ahoy cookie as the crust!
• Try another kind of cookie dough as the crust!

Notes: You don't need a whole recipe of cookie dough if making your own. The recipe I followed originally said an 18 oz package of it. I just push a little down in the bottom--about a cm deep maybe? When it bakes the cookie dough will rise in the bottom and sometimes puff a little through the top when making the mini ones. I can't remember about a full pie--I've only made them mini for a long time now.