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If you’ve ever been to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, then you’ve heard of this famous treat!
Cool-A-Coo?
Cool-A-Coos are an ice cream sandwich which consists of oatmeal cookies and vanilla ice cream in between. But let’s not stop there–it’s also dipped in chocolate.
To the best of my knowledge, Dodger Stadium was the only place you could get them, and I’m not even sure you can get them there anymore. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out in Los Angeles and saw a Dodgers game. I remember when these guys were in Brooklyn at Ebbets Field, but I digress and show my age….
Anyway, I thought of these again after seeing a re-run of The King of Queens. They were supposedly at Shea Stadium and wanted to buy a Cool-A-Coo. That’s a dead giveaway because these weren’t sold at Shea, but it got me to thinking about them again and I wanted one.
Recipe Hack
If I would have had space in my freezer, this would have had vanilla ice cream in it, but since I didn’t have that space, the hack is using vanilla cheesecake!
The cheesecake layer works very well. It’s a lot like the original treat except it can be stored in the fridge.
If you have freezer space then by all means substitute the cheesecake layer with softened vanilla ice cream. That way, it’s as close as you can get to the real deal.
The Recipe
Cool-A-Coo Dessert Bars
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1 cup oats quick or old-fashioned
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon optional
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter cut in small cubes
CHEESECAKE LAYER
- 2 bars 8 oz each softened cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
CHOCOLATE TOPPING
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 11 x 7-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda and brown sugar, mixing well.
- Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles small crumbs; press into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake the crust 15 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, beat all the cheesecake ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth.
- When crust has baked 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes to slightly cool (this is important if you are using a glass/ceramic pan due to thermal shock), then pour the cheesecake mixture over the crust.
- Return to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheesecake layer is set.
- To make the topping, combine the chips and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high setting for 30 seconds; stir. If there are still large lumps of chips, microwave an additional 30 seconds, then stir until no lumps remain and the sauce is smooth.
- Pour the chocolate sauce over the top and spread it to coat the entire surface.
- Chill until ready to serve.
