Quick Info
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes chill)
- Cook Time: 10–12 minutes per tray
- Total Time: 60–70 minutes
- Yield: 24–28 cookies (2 tbsp scoop)
- Course: Dessert / Cookies
- Cuisine: American bakery-style
- Skill Level: Easy
- Special Equipment: Stand or hand mixer, two rimmed baking sheets, parchment paper, 2-tbsp cookie scoop, cooling rack
Introduction
When my kids were little, they thought Oreos only came one way: dunked in milk. Then we stirred crushed cookies into cookie dough and the world tilted—in the best way. These Cookies and Cream Cookies are an Oreo lover’s dream: plush centers, melty white chocolate, and big streaks of crunchy cookie crumbs that make every bite taste like your favorite ice cream flavor in warm, fresh-baked form.
I bake these for birthdays, bake sales, and “we survived homework” celebrations. The dough is vanilla-forward and not too sweet (remember, Oreos and chips add plenty), and a short chill keeps the cookies thick and chewy. Prepare for the classic chorus around here: “Can I just have one… while they cool?”
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 tsp cornstarch (keeps them extra soft)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 15 minutes (or very soft room temp)
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups roughly crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos; about 14–16 cookies)
- 1 cup (170 g) white chocolate chips (or chopped white bar chocolate)
Optional / Variations
- Double Chocolate: Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the flour and reduce flour by 2 tbsp for a chocolate base.
- Chocolate-Chip Mix: Use ½ cup semi-sweet chips + ½ cup white chips for contrast.
- Mint Cookies & Cream: Replace ½ tsp vanilla with ¼–½ tsp peppermint extract and use mint crème sandwich cookies.
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 GF flour blend and GF sandwich cookies; chill 45 minutes for best structure.
- Dairy-Free: Use plant butter sticks and dairy-free white chips.
- Extra Salt-Snap: Finish warm cookies with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Instructions
Step 1: Prep the Crunchy Mix-In
Place Oreos in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin to a mix of chunky pieces and fine crumbs—those crumbs streak the dough for that cookies-and-cream look. Try not to pulverize completely; we want texture.
Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until combined. The cornstarch is our bakery trick for soft centers.
Step 3: Cream Butter & Sugars
In a large bowl (or stand mixer with paddle), beat melted-cooled butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium for 1–2 minutes until thick and glossy. You’re dissolving some sugar for chew without whipping in too much air (which makes puffy cookies).
Step 4: Add Egg, Yolk & Vanilla
Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla until smooth, scraping the bowl once.
Step 5: Add Dry Mix, Then Fold-Ins
On low, blend in the dry ingredients until just a few flour streaks remain. Switch to a spatula and gently fold in the crushed cookies and white chocolate chips. Don’t overmix or you’ll lose those pretty streaks.
Step 6: Chill for Puffy, Chewy Cookies
Cover and chill 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours). A short chill hydrates flour and firms butter so the cookies bake thick with soft middles. If chilling overnight, let dough sit 10 minutes at room temp before scooping.
Step 7: Scoop & Bake
Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Scoop 2-tbsp portions, spacing 2½ inches apart. Press a few extra cookie bits or chips on top for a bakery look. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set and lightly golden; centers will look slightly underdone.
Step 8: Cool, Swirl, & (Maybe) Salt
Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then move to a rack. For perfect round edges, “scoot” each cookie with a circular cutter while still warm. Sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt if you love sweet-salty magic.
Tips & Variations
- Measuring Flour: A heavy hand makes cakey cookies. Spoon and level, or weigh 280 g.
- Chocolate Choice: White bar chocolate chopped into chunks melts into dreamy puddles (fewer stabilizers than chips).
- Oreo Size: Roughly crushed pieces (pea- to dime-size) give the best texture. Save the fine crumbs for the top of scooped dough.
- No Melted Butter? Room-temp butter works; cream 2–3 minutes. Cookies will be slightly thicker.
- Ultra-Thick Bakery Style: Chill dough overnight, bake cold, and make 3-tbsp scoops for 12–14 minutes.
- Cookie Scoot Trick: Use a wide round cutter to corral the edges into perfect circles right out of the oven—it also concentrates the gooey middle.
- Make-Ahead Dough Balls: Scoop and freeze on a tray, then bag up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F adding 1–2 minutes.
- Color Contrast: For dramatic marbling, gently fold the Oreo crumbs in just before scooping so streaks stay bold.
- Mix-Ins Map: Chopped Oreos + pretzels for salty crunch; or Oreos + dried cherries for a black-forest vibe.
- Allergy Notes: For egg-free, swap egg + yolk for ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce + 1 tsp oil; texture is a touch cakier but still soft.
Nutrition
(Per cookie, 1/28 batch; estimates.)
- Calories: 165
- Protein: 2 g
- Carbs: 22 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Sugar: 14 g
Final Thoughts
These Cookies and Cream Cookies are the treat that turns an ordinary afternoon into a tiny celebration. They’ve got all the best parts of an Oreo—crunchy chocolate and creamy vanilla vibes—wrapped in a warm, chewy cookie with melty white chocolate. I keep a bag of dough balls in the freezer for emergency cookie nights (a very real phenomenon at our house). If your crew invents a signature twist—mint extract, double-chocolate base, or pretzel crunch—tell me so we can “research” it together over glasses of cold milk.
Save this for cookies and cream cookies, Oreo dessert recipes, bakery-style cookies, soft cookie recipes, and easy crowd-pleasing treats. From my sprinkle-dusted, giggle-filled kitchen to yours—happy baking!
