Toffee-topped Cheesecake Bars

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Combine 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup Hershey's cocoa, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ cup softened butter in a bowl, mixing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Press the flour mixture firmly into the prepared baking pan to form an even base layer.

Beat the softened 8-oz cream cheese in a separate bowl until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.

Add 1 cup powdered sugar to the cream cheese and beat until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Add 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture, beating until fully incorporated.

Gradually pour in 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, beating until smooth and creamy.

Stir 1¼ cups of the toffee bits into the cheesecake batter, reserving ½ cup for topping.

Pour the cheesecake mixture evenly over the cocoa-flour base.

Sprinkle the reserved ½ cup toffee bits over the top of the filling.

Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into bars and serving.