An hour before you begin, bring the cream cheese & cookie dough out of the fridge. Pour hot water over the cashews and let sit.
Once an hour has passed, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Drain the cashews and add them to a high speed blender with the softened cream cheese, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla.
Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper.
Take 2/3 of the cookie dough and press into the bottom of the pan, covering it completely.
Pour the cheesecake batter over the cookie dough.
Flatten the remaining pieces of cookie dough and place on top of the cheesecake layer. It may not completely cover the top, but that's ok!
Bake for 35-40 minutes. The center should be slightly jiggly and the cookie should be golden brown.
Let sit out until cooled, then place in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Cut into slices and enjoy!
