Cookies and Cream Fudge Brownies
Cookies and Cream Fudge Brownies = chocolate cookie gooey heaven.
I’ve made these cookies and cream fudge brownies twice in the last week. And for good reason.
They are really that good. Plus, Doodle asked me to. I can’t say no to that cute kid.
The first time, I made ’em just for fun…I was craving a rich, dense, fudgy brownie, and I had a bag of Hershey’s Cookies and Cream Candy Drops that needed to be put to good use.
After Doodle ate one of these, he immediately asked if I would make a batch for him to take to school to share with his friends. Because he has a summer birthday, his teacher allowed him to bring in treats this month for an honorary birthday celebration and I’d been brainstorming what homemade treat to send.
Problem solved.
The best part? These brownies come together in one bowl, and don’t even require a mixer! This is the perfect recipe for lazy bakers like me.
Quite honestly, these brownies are decedent enough on their own – they are truly the best brownie I’ve ever eaten. And many other bloggers and bakers agree. This base recipe comes from Alice Medrich’s book Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate. Whatever else you do in life, I beg you:
make these.
After I baked the brownies, I made an Oreo buttercream to smear on top of them. This buttercream is a slight variation to the one I learned while taking a Wilton cake decorating class years ago – the Wilton recipe uses Crisco, which I replaced here with butter.
Full disclaimer: these brownies are very rich and very sweet – but since I made them for a 5-year old who prefers to eat frosting with a spoon, he didn’t mind.
- 10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used 1 teaspoon)
- 2 large eggs, cold
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- approximately ¾ cup Hershey's Cookies and Cream Candy Drops
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unlsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons whipping cream
- 5-6 Oreo cookies, crumbled finely (I used the food processor)
- 5-6 additional Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped, for garnish (optional, but recommended)
- Preheat oven to 325. Line an 8x8 pan with foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides. Spray with cooking spray and set pan aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, salt, and heat on high power, about 30 seconds. Stop to stir, and heat for an additional 30 seconds, checking after 15 seconds. The batter will be almost gritty or sand-like in appearance - that's okay!
- Add the vanilla and eggs, stirring vigorously until the batter is well blended. It should look thick and shiny. Stir in the flour, mixing until it is well-incorporated and the batter is smooth, with either a wooden spoon or a whisk. Gently fold in the the Hershey's candy pieces, and then pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick emerges just slightly moist when removed from the center. Do NOT bake for longer than 30 minutes, even if you're tempted. The brownies will firm up as they cool, I promise! I baked mine for 28 minutes, then allowed them to cool on the kitchen counter for 1 hour before frosting.
- I stored these in the refrigerator, since I generally like my brownies a tad chilled.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together your sugar and butter on low speed. Mix until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 5 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and heavy cream and beat on medium speed for another minute. You may add more cream, depending on your desired consistency. Add in your cookie crumbles and mix until just combined.
- Spread on top of your brownies, and top with additional Oreo pieces, if desired.
Danielle says
Oh my goodness, these look so delicious I could just eat a pan right now!!!! 😀
Danielle recently posted..Colorful Veggie Mix
Ashley says
Thanks, Danielle!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
Hubba, hubbba. Come to mama! 🙂
They look incredible, Ashley! Thanks for linking to my brownies.
And yes, when bloggers like Deb have hundreds of readers who make them and everyone loves them, that’s what sold me on this base and I love them, too!
And me and your 5 yr old (frosting with spoon) sound like we’d get along great!
Ashley says
Thank, Averie! I love, love, LOVE your caramel version of these! I don’t think a person can wrong with this brownie base; it is seriously fabulous!
I think my kiddo thinks the only way to eat frosting is with a spoon…not sure where he got that idea!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says
Sweet and over the top decadent…hand me a fork and a few brownies!!! These are so insanely awesome looking! Love all the cookies and cream in and on top!!! Man, I wish I had some of these right now!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life recently posted..Mocha Fudge Milkshakes – #CupofKaffe
Ashley says
Thanks, Jocelyn! My pictures don’t do these justice, but these brownies were the absolute best I’ve had – the cookies and cream were just a bonus!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
I am in LOVE with these Ashely!! OMG. To die for!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust recently posted..Starbucks Petite Vanilla Scone Copycat
Ashley says
Thanks, Dorothy! These were so good, I couldn’t stand it…I just kept eating them.
Kristi @ My San Francisco Kitchen says
Oh me, these DO look like heaven! I would love a bite – actually a whole batch – of these!
Kristi @ My San Francisco Kitchen recently posted..Lemon Rosemary Tilapia Amandine
Ashley says
Thanks so much, Kristi!
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
Ashley – they look AMAZING! Truly the best brownie I’ve ever had. Words can’t describe. I nearly faint anytime I make them because they are so darn FUDGY!! And I love the cookies & cream addition. You amaze me all the time. PS: Loving these photos. Hope you had a great bday friend! Thanks for linking to my brownies!
sally @ sallys baking addiction recently posted..Soft & Thick Snickerdoodles. (in 20 minutes!)
Ashley says
Thanks, Sally! These brownies are so dangerous to have around!
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
Oh my I adore Cookies and Cream anything and these look heavenly that’s for sure! YUMMY!
Julie @ Julie’s Eats & Treats recently posted..Peanut Butter Chocolate S’more Bars
Ashley says
Thanks so much, Julie!!
Meghan @ The Tasty Fork says
Nothing makes me happier than a dense fudgy brownie! These look amazing, Ashley!!
Meghan @ The Tasty Fork recently posted..Exciting things to come….
Ashley says
Meghan, you HAVE to try this base brownie recipe. Seriously to die for!
Emily {Pink Tiger in the Kitchen} says
Oh.my.geez! These brownies look absolutely heavenly!! I love cookies and cream and a rich, dense brownie like it’s nobody’s business. I love the combining of the two and am going to be trying these sooner rather than later!!
Emily {Pink Tiger in the Kitchen} recently posted..an explanation…
Ashley says
Thanks, Emily! These brownies are seriously to die for. So, so good!
Kuckoo says
How many does this recipe serve? I want to make them for approx. 20 people, and I don’t know whether this would be enough… Could you please help? Thanks!
Ashley says
Hi there! This recipe makes an 8×8 pan…so you’d need to at least double the recipe for 20 or so people. These brownies are super rich, so you can cut the brownies fairly small. 🙂
Amanda says
I am so excited to try this! It looks amazing.
Bonny Lee says
I noticed you mentioned the Wilton Buttercream recipe. I used to teach the Wilton classes, and am familiar with it, since I had to use it when I taught their classes. But, I have never used it to frost anything in my business. The only thing I do use it for is making flowers and leaves.
Here’s a recipe you might try sometime. I call it a French Buttercream, and I found it in a cook book many years ago (40+). Can’t remember the title, but it was written by a woman who had a deli in NYC. If you check out my web–site, you’ll see it listed on my flavors link.
1 c. soft butter – only Land O Lakes, please
1/2 c. Sweetex or Crisco
2 T. light corn syrup
1 t. vanillla
2 c. 10X sugar (Domino’s 10X Confectioner’s is the best)
2 pasteurized egg whites
Combine the first 4 ingredients and whip until they are homogeneous and fluffy.
Add the 10X sugar and beat slowly, till the sugar stops flying, and then beat a couple of minutes.
Lastly, add the 2 egg whites, and only beat about a minute. The frosting will change texture.
Variations: For Chocolate Buttercream, add 1/2 c. cocoa with the first four ingredients. You can make any flavor by using different extracts in place of the vanilla – lemon extract and some lemon zest added, for example. I used this recipe exclusively when I was the Pastry Chef at The Thousand Islands Club, on Wellesley Island. The only negative, is that I can’t use it on a wedding cake that is going to be set up in a hot environment – i.e. a tent in the summer. Once you use this recipe, you’ll never go back to any other, I promise. The positive is that it uses a small amount of sugar, and is not icky sweet, like most typical Buttercream recipes – and it never gets hard and crusty.
I put the butter in my Kitchen Aid Mixing bowl and let it sit a few hours, or overnight, to soften. An alternative is to put the bowl in the oven, turned off, with just the heat from the light turned on. Sweetex is a specialty shortening, made by Proctor and Gamble, for frostings and pastries. I use it whenever a recipe calls for Crisco (even in pie crust). I only use Domino’s 10X Confectioner’s Sugar, since it is ground 10 times, and has a finer grain. You can buy egg whites pasteurized, or you can pasteurize them yourself over hot water. (google how to do it)
Vivi says
I’m always up for brownies! Yours is the best brownie I have seen! The combination is perfect! Thanks for sharing.
Vivi recently posted..What is Breve Coffee?