Oreo Brownies: Improv Challenge

I hope Texas is holding up without me.  I having a great time on this vacation- I may never come back.  But today it is time to take a break from my glorious vacation to talk about some good dessert.  Brace yourself- this one is a doozie.

Who doesn’t love a good Oreo?  I have never met a person who has any negative feelings toward the chocolate cookies with the creamy vanilla filling.  Sure, we may play favorites and like the creme better than the cookie (I refuse to believe no one loves that sweet creamy filling), but there is a general appreciation all around for the glorious Oreo.  And although Oreo will keep trying to come out with wacky new flavors, I always turn to the classic cookie.

What’s better than an Oreo?  Putting an Oreo in a dessert.  I have never heard a complaint about that. Oreos seem to become even more magical when they are warm and baked.

Side Note: If you have never had a deep fried Oreo, you haven’t lived.

This month’s Secret Recipe Club challenge was to make something with chocolate and vanilla.  Two classic dessert flavors. Taking inspiration from the wonderful Oreo, I made these fabulous brownies.   These brownies have double Oreo goodness: first, there is an Oreo baked into a chocolate brownie.  And then you have the chocolate brownie and the vanilla creme on top imitating that wonderful Oreo combo.

These brownies are definitely magical.  Oh so chocolate-y and creamy.  And those Oreos. Mmmm.  And I won’t lie, I did not wait for these brownies to cool completely.  Because I believe that is physically impossible.  Who can wait for a dessert as good as this?  And should we?  No.  No we should not.

Fight for the right to eat desserts.

Also, the use of Double Stuff Oreos is mandatory in this recipe.  The use of Mega Stuff is encouraged.

OREO BROWNIES
Adapted from Handle the Heat

INGREDIENTS

For the Brownies:
10 tablespoons butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
16-20 Oreos

For the Vanilla Creme:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

DIRECTIONS

For the Brownies:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a 9 inch by 9 inch pan with aluminum foil.

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.  Stir in sugar and cocoa.  Remove from heat.  Let cool slightly.  Mix in eggs one at a time, vanilla extract, and salt.  Stir in flour until just combined.

Place Oreos at the bottom of the prepared pan.  Spread brownie batter on top.  Bake for 16-18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.  Cool completely (if this is humanly possible.  If not, cool mostly).

For the Vanilla Creme:

Combine butter, powdered sugar, vanilla bean seeds, vanilla extract, and milk in a large bowl.  Beat on medium speed until mixed together.  Spread onto cooled brownies.  Slice into bars.

Make sure to check out what everyone else make for this month’s Improv Challenge.  Thanks Frugal Antics of a Harried Housewife for hosting!

Advertisement