Welcome to the final day in Sally’s Cookie Palooza! I decided to end the 6th annual Christmas cookie countdown with something light, innocent, and calorie free. LOL. Kidding. These cookies & cream brownies are basically 500 cookies in one. And tomorrow is National Brownie Day so obviously we’re celebrating in a very big, very over-the-top, very caloric way. If you dig Oreos, brownies, and chocolate… Merry Christmas to you. 😉
4 Layer “Fork & Plate Brownies”
I call these my fork and plate brownies because they’re so thick, fudgy, and irresistibly dense that you need a fork and plate for consuming. With 4 equally indulgent layers, they’re brownie sky scrapers. Here’s each layer listed out:
Brownie Base
This is a 9×13-inch pan of brownies. I won’t go into much detail about the brownie base because you can use homemade brownies or boxed brownies. Obviously I recommend my homemade brownies, but I know schedules get crazy and time is a luxury, especially during the holidays. So use your favorite boxed mix if needed. I will say that my homemade brownies recipe is seriously fudgy and takes about 10 minutes to throw together. 🙂 Want to make a 9-inch pan instead? See my recipe note! Success Tip: Lining the pan with parchment paper makes it much easier to remove the bars before slicing and serving. I use the same tip when making rice krispie treats and M&M cookie bars, too.
The Oreo Layer
Oreos are pressed into the top of the brownie batter before baking. I recommend using Double Stuf Oreos, which comes with 30 Oreos in the package. Don’t steal a taste because you’ll need every single Oreo for these cookies & cream brownies.
Did you know that the number of Oreos in packages varies?! Regular Oreos used to have 45 cookies in each package, now I think it’s 36. Double Stuf has 30.
You’ll use 24 Oreos on top of the brownie batter, then 6 crushed Oreos in the cookies & cream buttercream frosting. If you love baking with Oreos, try my recipes for Oreo cookie crust, cookies and cream cookies, cookies and cream cake, Oreo balls, and cookies and cream pie next!
Cookies & Cream Buttercream Frosting
Legit tastes like the filling of an Oreo cookie. You’ll need butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, a little milk, and 6 crushed Oreos. A pinch of salt helps offset the sweetness. Have you truly ever seen a more perfect sight? Forget the brownies, eat this with a spoon instead.
Chocolate Topping
This chocolate topping is chocolate ganache kicked up a notch. Made from just chocolate and butter, this thick chocolate layer firms up like a dream. It’s not sticky, but it’s still soft enough for cutting through. Speaking of cutting through layered brownies… things can get a little messy, but I have some tips for you in my recipe notes.
Christmas Cookies & Cream Brownies
‘Tis the season and if you want a festive version of these cookies & cream brownies to serve alongside your Christmas cookies, I have a few ideas up my sleeve:
Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the brownie batter OR add 3/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the cookies and cream buttercream Use mint Oreos instead! Top chocolate with crushed candy canes or red/green sprinkles
Or even add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the brownie batter and 1/2 teaspoon to the buttercream. Always use peppermint extract sparingly because it’s a fine line between delicious peppermint flavor and… toothpaste flavor. And for Valentine’s Day, try my red velvet Oreo brownies!
