cookies and cream brownies;
Start with black cocoa brownies and layer on a shmear of cookies and cream icing that’s just as thick—if not thicker—than the brownie itself. These cookies and cream brownies are so, so good. And if you’re looking for chocolatey—they deliver!
I highly recommend black cocoa powder for these cookies and cream brownies. Black cocoa powder is highly alkalized cocoa powder and is what makes Oreos taste like, well, Oreos. It’s got a smooth flavor and is less acidic than traditional cocoa powders. So while not critical, I think if you’re willing to invest in the ingredients, it really ties the brownie together with the cookies and cream icing.
If you don’t feel like tracking down black cocoa powder, dont let that stop you from making cookies and cream brownies!
Secret to success
If you don’t feel like tracking down black cocoa powder (I get mine from King Arthur Flour), I feel ya. Don’t let it stop you from making cookies and cream brownies! Since it’s a little more commercially available (as in the average grocery store) I’d still opt for a Dutch-processed cocoa powder (Ghriradelli has a nice one) or a dark chocolate cocoa powder. But even if you’re using your run-of-the-mill average cocoa powder these brownies will come out perfectly delicious, I promise!
I use my classic crinkle top brownies for everything because they’re just so good! It ticks all my boxes—real chocolate as the base, a good salt ratio, and the couple of teaspoons of instant coffee are that je ne sais quoi. I bet most people wouldn’t necessarily be able to call out coffee as one of the ingredients because it blends in, but it gives the extra umami that makes these brownies amazing.
I tweaked my original recipe slightly to make black cocoa brownies, but the jist is still the same. For bonus decadence—fold in some crushed Oreos into the batter itself! That said I don’t really think it’s necessary. The cookies and cream icing shines by itself and I like the solid chewy fudgy brownie to complement the icing. The black cocoa is enough subtlety to tie it all together. But hey, no judgement from me if you’re looking to cram Oreos in any chance you get.
When it comes to the cookies and cream icing, I was shocked at just how much I loved it together with these brownies. Not because I wasn’t excited about this recipe, but because I’m not always an icing girly. When I tasted the icing by itself, it seemed way too sweet for my palate. But once it’s paired with the rich and dense chocolate brownie it balances into the perfect bite.
Letting the icing sit overnight helps marry all the flavors and soften the crushed cookies.
Secret to success
I think allowing the icing sit overnight helps marry the flavors and lets the Oreos soften and bleed flavor into every crevice of the icing. So that probably helped. You can let it rest in the bowl you whip it up in, or on the brownies. Just make sure the brownies are cooled so your icing doesn’t melt!
Make sure your brownies are fully cooled before icing.
Secret to success
The original recipe I adapted this from spread the full cookies and cream icing on a 9×9” pan! She did recommend that you’ll have a cup or so of icing left over but damn that’s a thick layer of icing!
I opted for the 9×13 base and really liked the ratio. Bonus—I used the full recipe of icing so I didn’t have any leftover either. And it’s still a thick layer of icing on the brownies, in my opinion, so plenty to go around. But if you prefer a thinner layer of icing, by all means. Chances are though, that you’ll end up with leftover icing in that case.
My last chocolate pearl of wisdom? Refrigerate these suckers.
Secret to success
My last chocolate pearl of wisdom? Refrigerate these suckers. These cookies and cream brownies are to die for when they’re chilled and the icing has set up a little. You can thank me later.
secrets to success;
Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!
more recipes;
Looking for other crowd-pleasing desserts?
- Check out my brownies series, there’s so many fun options to choose from. Try everything but the kitchen sink with anything you can find in your pantry (think pretzels, toffee bits, Oreos, and more). Or if you do love the delicate flavor of tiramisu, my tiramisu brownies have got you covered. Need to double down on chocolate? French silk brownies are for you.
- If you love a dense brownie, opt for cosmic brownies or cosmic blondies. Make a homemade version of the dense and chewy Little Debbie’s treats, and make them classic cocoa or blonde!
- If you do decide to invest in black cocoa powder, check out these pumpkin patch dirt cookies. Perfect for Halloween or keep them classic dirt cups with only gummy worms all year round!
- Or make your own Mexican hot chocolate coal marshmallows! The black cocoa powder lends to the “coal” look and feel. And if you’ve never had a homemade marshmallow—you’re missing out! They’re soft and silky and fluffy and miles better than any storebought.
- If you love salty sweet combos and are a little adventurous, try these brownie batter stuffed sweet pretzels!
- If you love snickers bar, you have to check out this snickers brownie pie! It’s always a fan favorite with so many delicious textures and flavors. Brownie, the easiest faux-nougat you’ve ever had, caramel, and peanuts in a pie crust make for a perfect dessert.
- S’mores kiss cookies are always a summer favorite. Take a cookie base studded with graham crackers and add some marshmallows and a kiss to top it all off!
cookies and cream brownies;
Ingredients
dark chocolate brownies;
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2½ teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup black cocoa powder (optionally sub regular cocoa powder instead)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
cookies and cream icing;
- 1 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 cup crushed oreos plus more for topping
Instructions
dark chocolate brownies;
- Line a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper. Spray with oil and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips and 2 sticks (1 cup) of butter. Microwave in 30 second increments until the butter is melted and the chocolate chips begin to melt. Stir together until melted and smooth.
- Add 1½ cups sugar, 1 Tbsp vanilla, 1 tsp salt, and 2½ tsp coffee granules to the melted chocolate. Mix together to combine.
- In a small bowl, add 4 eggs and whisk together until frothy and bubbly. Fold the scrambled eggs to the chocolate mixture.
- Add ½ cup flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, and 1 tsp baking powder. Stir to combine. Do not overmix.
- Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the brownies are just set. Test the center with a toothpick, it should come out clean when they're ready.
- Allow to cool before cutting and serving fresh. Try popping them in the microwave for 10 seconds to reheat and serving with ice cream!
cookies and cream icing;
- Use either a stand mixer and paddle attachment or a large bowl and a hand mixer. Add 1 cup (2 sticks) butter to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream the butter by beating on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Lower the speed and gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed. Once incorporated, add 2 tsp vanilla and 2 Tbsp heavy cream. Whip on high for 1 minute.
- Using a food processor, blitz a sleeve of oreos to make 1 cup of powdered crumbs. Add crumbs to the buttercream mixture and mix until incorporated.
- Ensure brownies are cooled, then frost the brownies. Add a thick layer of buttercream and smooth the top with a spatula. If desired, sprinkle additional crumbled oreos on top.
