These Oreo brownies have a layer of classic chocolate sandwich cookie in the middle and are as easy-to-make as they are fun-to-eat!
Though I don’t talk about it much, I have a total nostalgic soft spot for Oreos and cookies and cream cookies. Cookies and cream ice cream is often my first choice at a scoop shop. And I’ve made the inception of cookies, the cookies and cream cookie which is one of my favorite cookies at my local cookie bakery Anthony’s. So, it’s no surprise that when I was tinkering around with ideas for new brownie recipes I came up with these oreo brownies. And though I love my easy fudgy brownies and my cakey brownies, nothing feels more like my childhood than these cookies and cream packed brownies.
How to make these brownies
These brownies are easy to make, and only take a few minutes more than a typical brownie box mix! Melt butter, sugar and cocoa powder together in a microwave safe bowl (or in a saucepan on the stove). Stir to fully dissolve the sugar and cocoa powder once all the butter is melted.
Add in vanilla, salt, instant espresso powder (it helps to boost the chocolate flavor), and baking soda. Add eggs, one at a time, and then fold in flour and chocolate chips.
Once the batter is done, spoon about 2/3 of the batter into a pan and spread out evenly. Then place Oreos (or other chocolate sandwich cookies) over the top of the batter in a grid. Then spoon the rest of the brownie batter over the Oreos.
Sprinkle some chopped Oreos on top. Bake, let cool, then cut and serve!
What sort of cocoa to use
This brownie use natural cocoa, not Dutch-process cocoa, which is a darker cocoa that is used in the Oreos themselves. I used natural cocoa because I wanted the sharp acidity of the natural cocoa to contrast with the milder cocoa in the Oreos. The recipe uses the acidity in the natural cocoa to work with the baking soda.
If all you have is Dutch-processed cocoa or that’s the sort of cocoa you prefer, you can substitute the same amount of Dutch-process cocoa but you have to also swap out the baking soda. Omit the baking soda and use 1 teaspoon of baking powder instead. Just keep in mind the brownies will look and taste slightly different.
What sort of Oreos to use
Nowadays there are numerous version of Oreos and various flavors of Oreos available. But I use the classic regular Oreos for this recipe. If you’re a fan of them feel free to swap out double-stuffed Oreos, chocolate filled Oreos, any of the other fun flavors available. You can also use a different brand of chocolate sandwich cookies, like Hydrox, Trader-O’s cookies, or Newman-O’s cookies.
That said, I don’t recommend using Cakester Oreos. They have a cakey “whoopie pie” consistency that is too similar and won’t contrast enough with the texture of these brownies.
How to store these
Store these brownies at room temperature under a cake dome, in an airtight container or in a resealable Ziploc bag for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these brownies in an airtight container or resealable freezer Ziploc bag for up to 2 months. Thaw them to room temperature (about 2 hours on the counter) before serving.
If you like these Oreo brownies, check out these other brownie recipes:
- Neapolitan brownies
- Black Forest Brownies
- Soy Sauce and Miso Caramel Brownies
- Rye Brownies with Caramel and Sea Salt
- Psychedelic Rainbow Brownies
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
- Easy fudge brownies
- Cakey brownies
- Dark Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake (technically not a brownie but close!)
Oreo Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie batter
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks or 225 g
- 2 cups white sugar 400 g
- 1 cup natural cocoa powder not Dutch-processed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder optional but recommended
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cup flour 175 g
- 1 cup chocolate chips 170 g
- 24 Oreos or chocolate sandwich cookies
Topping
- 8 to 10 Oreos or chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly spray or coat a 9 x 13 x 2-inch metal pan with cooking oil. Line with parchment paper, making sure 1 inch of the parchment is overhanging the edge of the pan.
- Place the butter, sugar, and cocoa in a large microwave safe bowl. Cook in 30 second burst, stirring with a balloon whisk between each interval, until the butter is melted completely. Stir vigorously to dissolve the sugar and cocoa.
- Stir in the vanilla, salt, espresso powder, and baking soda. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking them to incorporate before adding the next one.
- Gently stir and fold the flour into the batter with a large rubber or silicone spatula. Repeat with the chocolate chips.
- Spoon about 2/3 of the brownie batter into the pan and spread evenly on the bottom. Then place the Oreos on top of the batter, gently pressing down to nestle them into the batter. You should have a grid of 4 x 6 Oreos.
- Spoon the remaining brownie batter over the Oreos. Don’t stress if you don’t have a lot of batter to cover all the cookies. Just spread the batter as much as possible over the top of the Oreos. If some of the Oreos are peaking out, no big deal. The brownie batter will rise in the baking.
- Now top the brownie with the chopped Oreos as garnish. Bake in the oven 25 to 28 minutes. Let cool in the pan, then once they are at room temperature, lift the entire pan of brownies with the edge of the parchment paper and move to a cutting board. Cut into 24 brownies.
Nutrition
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