Oreo Cream Cheese (Dirt) Cookies

Originally posted 1/18/2016.

​So, I am obsessed with pretty much every cooking and baking show on TV right now. A few weeks ago,  I was watching a rerun of The Kitchen and Katie Lee mentioned that she crinkles up parchment paper before placing it on baking sheets. She said that this technique helps to keep the cookies from spreading and sliding. I knew had try this technique out with dirt cookies. These cookies definitely have a tendency to spread. It actually worked great! I will definitely keep on crinklin’. I am not sure why but when I wrote that … all I heard in my head was “teach me how to crinkle, teach me teach me, how to crinkle.” Teach me how to Dougie? Anyone? haha

These cookies are delicious! Major hit. Almost as big of hit as the Dougie. OK. I’ll stop. The recipe is adapted from a mix of the  Brown Eyed Baker and Bakestravaganza. Both recipes called for unsalted butter, but I think this recipe needs some salt. Without the salt,  the cookies were just too sweet for me and even border on being a bit bland. This is just a taste preference, so consider using unsalted butter in your cookies.

INGREDIENTS:
½ cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2/3 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (I’ve tried both and both are delicious)
2 rows of Oreo cookies, crumbled

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350¤.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
3. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and mix until the ingredients are well-combined.
4. Add the flour- one cup at a time and mix on low until the flour is fully incorporated.
5. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
6. In a food processor, crush two rows of the Oreo cookies.* Place the Oreo cookie crumbs in a small to medium sized bowl.
7. Scoop the cookies into about 1½ inch balls and then roll the dough in the Oreo crumbs. Be sure to cover the entire ball- the more, the merrier. The more Oreo, the less the cookie will spread!
8. Place the cookie balls on a baking sheet lined with (crinkled) parchment paper.
9. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the tops are slightly puffed.
10. Cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
11. Enjoy with friends!

*I prefer to process the Oreos until there is a nice mix of large and fine crumbs. My first attempt at this recipe, I made the crumbs too fine.  I think they held better and tasted better with a few larger chunks!

---