Satisfy your sweet tooth with Oreo cookie bars! These bars are a real crowd pleaser, with a sugar cookie base, a creamy sweet frosting, and lots of Oreo cookies.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This recipe makes a big batch and freezes well.
How long it takes: 44 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: 9×13 pan, parchment paper, mixing bowl, electric mixer
Servings: 20
These Oreo cookie bars are phenomenal, if I do say so myself. Envision a homemade sugar cookie base Ioaded with crushed Oreo cookies. That’s just the bottom layer. Next comes a sweet dreamy gooey cream cheese frosting (undoubtably the best kind of frosting) and then, of course, more Oreo cookies.
If that doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, then I don’t know what will! These cookie bars are begging you to grab a glass of cold milk to go with them. Listen to their plea.
I’ve been on a cookie bar kick lately. Don’t you just love a rich cookie base that’s simply a giant sugar cookie pressed into a pan? It can be topped with almost anything. You’ve probably had a fruit pizza: a sugar cookie base topped with a creamy layer, and then decoratively adorned with fresh fruit.
If you’re in love with cookie bars like I am, try my sugar cookie bars.
About these Cookie Bars
These homemade bars consist of three layers: sugar cookie crust, cream cheese frosting, and crushed Oreos. They aren’t difficult to make but do allow time for the bottom crust to cool completely before adding the next layer.
I’ll give you a few tips and hints here that will help you get started.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Oreo Cookies: You’ll load both the crust and the topping with crushed Oreos (24 of them, to be exact). That’s one of the reasons these cookies are so great — lots of Oreos, how can you go wrong? Crush the cookies in a large zip top bag with a rolling pin, meat mallet, large can or wine bottle. It’s okay if small chunks remain.
- All-Purpose Flour, Butter, Sugar, Egg, Vanilla Extract, Baking Powder: All the ingredients you need to make a delicious sugar cookie. Make sure you soften the butter before you get started.
- Cream Cheese: Choose either full-fat or reduced fat cream cheese. Nonfat cream cheese has additives and just won’t be the best to top these bars. Take the cream cheese and butter out of the fridge while your cookie base cools so everything is at room temp.
- Butter, Powdered Sugar, Vanilla Extract: Again, all you need for a creamy sweet frosting. Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
How To Make Cookie Bars
Let’s get started! Turn your oven on and begin by preparing a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray, place a sheet of parchment paper in the pan, leaving “wings” on the long sides for handles, and then spray it again. So spray, paper, spray!
Why All the Pan Prep?
The first layer of spray more or less keeps the paper in the pan; the paper is there to help you lift the bars out when you’re ready to cut them into nice even squares; and the last layer of spray ensures that the bars won’t stick to the paper. You’ll be so glad you did all that pan preparation!So, now that your pan is ready, and hopefully you have the butter softened (at room temp). In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until it’s nice and smooth.
Add the vanilla extract and egg, and cream again until the egg is fully incorporated.
Add the flour and baking powder and stir well. You’ll need a sturdy spoon and lots of arm power because the dough is pretty stiff and it’s about to get even stiffer!
Here come the crushed Oreos! Stir those into your cookie dough as well as you can.
Press the dough into your prepared pan firmly and evenly. Just use your fingers to pat the dough until it’s fairly smooth and covers the bottom of the pan.
Bake the cookie base until it’s set in the middle and golden brown around the edges. Cool the base completely (in the pan) before adding the next layer. If the cookie layer is still warm, the frosting will just melt once it hits that warm crust and that’s a very sad thing.
Okay, now the crust is cooled off, and you’re ready for the next layer. If you’ve made cream cheese frosting before, it’s pretty much the same process. In a large mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, blend together the softened cream cheese, softened butter, and vanilla until the mixture is creamy.
Beat in the powdered sugar until the filling is smooth and fluffy. I usually add the sugar a cup at a time so it doesn’t cloud around me in a big powdery poof.
Spread the frosting on the cookie base and sprinkle a whole bunch more crushed Oreos on top. The bars are ready to cut. Serve them right away or you can refrigerate the cut bars to serve later. Hmmmm, now or later? I think you need at least a little taste test right away, don’t you?
To cut the bars, use the parchment paper wings to carefully lift the bars out of the pan. Place them on a sturdy cutting surface and use a large sharp knife to cut them into nice even squares, whatever size you like. Remember, they are pretty sweet so maybe smaller pieces are better? What am I saying?! Cut them into nice big slabs if you want!
A cookie bar is done when it’s set in the middle and is golden brown around the edges. What does “set in the middle” look like? It will look somewhat dull, not shiny, and be firm, not like gooey dough. Touch it lightly with your fingertip. It should be soft but not gooey, and a light imprint should remain. Don’t overbake cookie bars; they’ll get too hard as they cool.
If you prefer to buy the cookie without the frosting filling, look for chocolate wafer cookies which are widely available. Oreo cookies are made by Nabisco, and they also make chocolate wafer cookies, which can easily be substituted for Oreos in this recipe.
Make It Your Own
- Substitute chocolate wafer cookies for the Oreos. The bars will be a little less sweet.
- Frosted chocolate chip cookie bars: If you’re not into Oreo cookies, substitute 2 cups mini chocolate chips for the crushed cookies. Stir one cup into the cookie dough and sprinkle one cup on top.
- Double chocolate Oreo cookie bars: Add a half cup of cocoa powder to the cream cheese layer, reducing the powdered sugar by a half cup.
- More Oreo cookie recipes: Try Oreo popcorn or easy homemade Oreo ice cream!
Refrigerate: Because of the cream cheese frosting, Oreo cookie bars should be refrigerated in a tightly covered container. They’ll keep for at least 5 days. The texture of the cookies will get a bit softer.
Freeze: Store cut bars in a freezer container for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
More Bar Cookies
Bar cookies or cookie bars? Whatever you call them, they’re delicious! Here’s more recipes for you, including a few no-bake goodies:
- Easiest Blondie Recipe
- Cake Mix Blondies – you can have these in the oven in just five minutes!
- Chocolate Chip Blondies – one of my most requested recipes!
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars {just like Reese’s!}
- Fruity Pebbles No-Bake Bars
- The Best Rice Krispies Treats – a no-bake classic treat
- Easy Snickerdoodle Bars Recipe
- Oh Henry Bars – with nut-free option, a family favorite!
- Blueberry Crumb Bars
Frosted Oreo Cookie Bars
Ingredients
COOKIE BASE:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 12 Oreo cookies, crushed
CREAM CHEESE LAYER:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (reduced fat will work, not fat free)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
TOPPING:
- 12 Oreo cookies, roughly crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray 9×13-inch baking with nonstick baking spray. Line with parchment paper, and spray parchment with nonstick baking spray.
- In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla extract and egg; mix well. Add flour and baking powder and mix well until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated. Dough will be quite stiff. Stir in crushed Oreos.
- Add dough to prepared pan and, using fingers, pat into an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until just golden around the edges and set in the middle. Let cool completely in pan.
- Once cooled, prepare frosting. In a large mixing bowl, blend cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar, beating well. Spread evenly over cooled cookie bars.
- Top with crushed Oreos and cut into desired size pieces. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator.
Notes
- Storage: Store in fridge in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days. The texture of the cookies will get a bit softer.
- To freeze: Store cut bars in a freezer container for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
- Possible adaptations:
- You can substitute chocolate wafer cookies for the Oreos. The bars will be a little less sweet.
- If you’re not into Oreo cookies, substitute 2 cups mini chocolate chips for the crushed cookies. Stir one cup into the cookie dough and sprinkle one cup on top.
- Make double chocolate Oreo cookie bars. Add a half cup of cocoa powder to the cream cheese layer, reducing the powdered sugar by a half cup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
I love Oreos so this is a no-brainer for my and my belly! I am definitely saving this baby. Thank you!
Love these bars! Such a great dessert.
-Jamie