Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cookies
These cookies and cream chocolate cookies combine rich cocoa, crushed Oreos, and white chocolate chips for the ultimate fudgy treat. Easy recipe with pro tips!
What Are Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cookies?
Cookies and cream chocolate cookies are intensely fudgy chocolate cookies loaded with crushed Oreo pieces and white chocolate chips, creating a double-chocolate experience with satisfying cookie crunch in every bite. The Dutch-processed cocoa powder delivers deep chocolate flavor, while room-temperature butter creates a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that stays soft for days.
I’ll never forget the first time I combined two of my greatest loves—chocolate cookies and Oreos—into one glorious creation. It was one of those rainy Saturday afternoons when you’re craving something ridiculously indulgent, and suddenly inspiration strikes. These cookies and cream chocolate bars (in cookie form!) became an instant favorite in my kitchen.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Cookies and Cream Chocolate Recipe
These homemade cookies and cream chocolate cookies are seriously addictive. Here’s why they’ve become my most-requested recipe:
They’re ridiculously fudgy. The combination of Dutch-processed cocoa powder and a higher butter-to-flour ratio creates that dense, almost brownie-like texture that makes you close your eyes with each bite.
The Oreo chunks stay perfectly crunchy. I’ve tested this recipe dozens of times, and the cookie pieces maintain their texture even after baking, giving you that satisfying crunch against the soft chocolate base.
White chocolate chips add surprise sweetness. They melt just slightly during baking, creating little pockets of creamy sweetness that balance the deep cocoa flavor beautifully.
They stay soft for days. Unlike some chocolate cookies that turn rock-hard by day two, these beauties remain tender and chewy thanks to the chilling technique. According to King Arthur Baking, refrigerating cookie dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and the fats to solidify, which results in cookies that spread less and maintain moisture longer.
No fancy equipment needed. Just a couple of bowls and a handheld mixer—you don’t need a stand mixer or any special tools to nail this cookies and cream chocolate bar experience in cookie form.
I learned the hard way that room-temperature ingredients really do matter. The first time I made these, I rushed and used cold butter, and the dough was lumpy and never quite came together properly.
Now I always let my butter and egg sit out for about 30 minutes before starting. For more chocolate cookie inspiration, try my classic Italian wedding cookies recipe for an entirely different but equally delicious experience.
Nutritional Information (Per Cookie)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 145 |
| Protein | 2g |
| Carbohydrates | 19g |
| Fat | 7g |
Cookies and Cream Chocolate Ingredients
This homemade cookies and cream chocolate recipe comes together with simple pantry staples and, of course, Oreos. Here’s what you’ll need for 24 gloriously fudgy cookies:
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 1¼ cups (150g) | All-purpose flour (measure properly by spooning into cup and leveling!) |
| ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons (36g) | Dutch-processed cocoa powder (this makes ALL the difference in depth of flavor) |
| ½ teaspoon | Baking soda |
| ¼ teaspoon | Salt |
| ½ cup (113g) | Unsalted butter, at room temperature (seriously, don’t skip this step) |
| 1 cup (200g) | Granulated sugar |
| 1 large | Egg, room temperature |
| 1 teaspoon | Vanilla extract (use the good stuff if you have it!) |
| 10 | Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (original or double-stuffed both work) |
| ½ cup (85g) | White chocolate chips |
A quick note on measuring flour: I can’t stress this enough—scooping flour directly from the bag compacts it and can add up to 25% more flour than needed, resulting in dry, cakey cookies. Always spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
Essential Equipment
You don’t need a fancy kitchen to make these cookies and cream chocolate beauties. Here’s what I reach for:
- Medium mixing bowl for dry ingredients
- Large mixing bowl for creaming butter and sugar
- Handheld or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Whisk for combining dry ingredients
- Rubber spatula for scraping down sides
- #50 cookie scoop (my secret weapon for uniform cookies—about 1.5 tablespoons)
- Baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Wire cooling rack
Optional but helpful: A sharp knife for chopping Oreos (I like coarse chunks, not crumbs)
How to Make Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cookies
Making this cookies and cream chocolate recipe is straightforward, but a few key techniques make all the difference. Let me walk you through each step like we’re baking together in my kitchen.
Step 1: Combine your dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed with no cocoa clumps visible. The whisking aerates the flour and ensures you won’t get pockets of baking soda in your cookies. Set this bowl aside.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar. In your large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. You’re looking for a light, fluffy mixture that’s pale in color—this incorporates air that helps create tender cookies. Don’t rush this step!
Step 3: Add egg and vanilla. Turn your mixer speed down to medium and add the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract, beating until fully combined and the mixture looks smooth. If you see any curdling, don’t panic—it’ll come together when you add the flour.
Step 4: Incorporate dry ingredients gradually. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add your flour mixture in three additions, beating just until combined after each addition. Overmixing develops gluten, which creates tough, dense cookies instead of tender ones—according to Serious Eats, gluten development is what separates chewy cookies from cakey ones.
Step 5: Fold in Oreos and white chocolate. Add the coarsely chopped Oreo cookies and white chocolate chips, mixing on low speed until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough. I like seeing chunky Oreo pieces peeking through!
Step 6: Chill the dough (don’t skip this!). Cover your bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, though you can chill it for up to 3 days. This step is crucial—it allows the flour to fully hydrate, the flavors to develop, and prevents excessive spreading during baking. Trust me, warm cookie dough spreads into sad, flat pancakes.
Step 7: Prepare for baking. When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Don’t skip the lining—these cookies have enough chocolate to potentially stick.
Step 8: Scoop and bake. Using a #50 cookie scoop (or about 1.5 tablespoons of dough), roll the chilled dough into balls and place them on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges look set and the centers are no longer shiny or wet-looking. They’ll seem underdone, but they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan.
Step 9: Adjust if needed. Sometimes these loaded cookies don’t spread as much as I’d like because of all the mix-ins. If your cookies look too puffy, gently press down on the tops with the back of a spoon while they’re still hot from the oven. This creates those beautiful crackly tops!
Step 10: Cool properly. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (this prevents them from breaking apart), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cooling time is when they develop their final chewy texture.
Pro Tips for Perfect Results
Let your ingredients come to room temperature. This homemade cookies and cream chocolate recipe works best when butter and eggs are around 65-70°F. Room-temperature ingredients create a stable emulsion, meaning the fat and liquid incorporate evenly without separating.
According to King Arthur Baking, cold butter won’t cream properly with sugar, and cold eggs can cause the batter to break, resulting in dense cookies with an uneven crumb.
Don’t over-bake these cookies. They should look slightly underdone in the center when you remove them from the oven. The residual heat continues cooking them on the pan, and they’ll firm up as they cool. I set my timer for 8 minutes and check—if the edges are set and the center isn’t shiny, they’re done.
Chill your dough for better flavor. While 1 hour is the minimum, I’ve found that overnight chilling (12-24 hours) produces the deepest chocolate flavor. The resting period allows enzymes to break down proteins, creating more complex flavors and browning during baking.
Use Dutch-processed cocoa, not natural. Dutch-processed cocoa has been treated to neutralize its acidity, resulting in a darker color and mellower, more chocolatey flavor. Natural cocoa can taste harsh and astringent in cookies with this much chocolate intensity.
Freeze extras in dough form. I always make a double batch and freeze half the dough balls on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag once solid. When a chocolate craving hits, I can bake fresh cookies straight from frozen—just add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
Why are my cookies spreading too much? Your butter was likely too warm, or you skipped the chilling step. Make sure your butter is at room temperature but not greasy or melting, and always refrigerate the dough for at least an hour. If your kitchen is very warm, chill the dough for 2 hours or pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes.
What if my cookies turned out cakey instead of fudgy? You probably added too much flour or over-baked them. Remember to measure flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling, never scooping directly. Also, pull cookies from the oven when centers still look slightly underdone.
My white chocolate chips disappeared—where’d they go? If your oven runs hot or you baked them too long, the white chocolate can melt completely into the cookies. Try reducing oven temperature by 25°F or checking cookies at 7 minutes instead of 8.
Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch-processed? You can, but the flavor won’t be as rich and deep. If that’s all you have, add an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder to compensate for the milder flavor.
Why did my dough turn out too dry and crumbly? This usually means too much flour made it into your bowl. Make sure you’re measuring properly, and that your butter was truly at room temperature (not cold). You can add 1-2 teaspoons of milk to bring the dough together if needed.
Fun Variations to Try
Make them mint chocolate delights. Swap regular Oreos for Mint Oreos and add a few drops of peppermint extract to the dough for a refreshing twist on this cookies and cream chocolate bar concept. They’re perfect for holiday cookie platters!
Go full dark chocolate. Replace the white chocolate chips with dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips for an intensely chocolatey experience. I sometimes do half white, half dark for visual contrast.
Create cookies and cream chocolate truffles. Crumble leftover cookies and mix with cream cheese, then roll into balls and dip in melted chocolate. They’re like a cookies and cream chocolate recipe in truffle form!
Try birthday cake Oreos. Using Birthday Cake Oreos and adding rainbow sprinkles makes these perfect for celebrations. Kids go absolutely wild for them. For another fun celebration treat, check out my matcha mousse cake recipe for something completely different.
Make them gluten-free. For a dedicated gluten-free version with proper ratios and techniques, I recommend exploring our focused gluten-free chocolate cookie guide to ensure perfect texture without the gluten.
How to Serve, Store, and Reheat
Serving these beauties: These cookies and cream chocolate cookies are perfect straight from the oven when they’re still slightly warm and gooey. I love serving them with a cold glass of milk or alongside vanilla ice cream for an over-the-top dessert. They’re also fantastic crumbled over ice cream sundaes!
Storage tips: Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. I usually tuck a piece of bread in the container—it keeps cookies soft by releasing moisture. If they start to firm up, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave brings back that fresh-baked softness.
Freezing for later: Baked cookies freeze beautifully for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container or bag with layers separated by parchment paper. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes. The unbaked dough balls can also be frozen for up to 3 months—bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Reheating tip: Pop room-temperature cookies in a 300°F oven for 3-4 minutes to recreate that warm, fresh-baked experience. The white chocolate chips get melty again, and they taste like they just came out of the oven.
Zero-Waste Kitchen Ideas
Turn cookie crumbs into magic. If any cookies break (or if you deliberately crumble a few), save the crumbs! They make an incredible ice cream topping, can be mixed into brownies for extra texture, or pressed into the bottom of cheesecake pans as a cookies-and-cream crust.
Use up those Oreo scraps. After chopping your Oreos, you’ll have some fine crumbs left over. Don’t toss them! Sprinkle them on top of hot chocolate, blend them into milkshakes, or fold them into vanilla frosting for a cookies-and-cream twist.
Repurpose stale cookies. If your cookies somehow get stale (hasn’t happened often in my house!), crumble them and layer with whipped cream and chocolate pudding for a quick trifle. It’s like a deconstructed cookies and cream chocolate bar dessert!
Cookies and Cream Chocolate FAQs
Can I freeze this cookies and cream chocolate dough before baking?
Absolutely! In fact, I always keep a stash of frozen cookie dough balls for emergency chocolate cravings. Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding just 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.
What’s the best substitute for Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe?
If you only have natural cocoa powder, you can use it, but reduce the baking soda to ¼ teaspoon and expect a slightly more acidic, less mellow chocolate flavor. Dutch-processed cocoa creates that deep, dark chocolatey taste that makes these cookies special, so it’s worth seeking out if possible.
Why do my cookies and cream chocolate cookies turn out flat?
Flat cookies usually mean your butter was too warm, you didn’t chill the dough long enough, or you accidentally used melted butter instead of softened. Always refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, and make sure your butter is soft but not greasy—it should hold a fingerprint but not be shiny or melting.
Can I make this cookies and cream chocolate recipe ahead of time for a party?
Yes! The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking, which actually improves the flavor. You can also bake the cookies up to 2 days ahead and store them in an airtight container—they stay perfectly soft and chewy. Just avoid stacking them until completely cool.
What if I don’t have white chocolate chips for this recipe?
No problem! You can use semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, or even peanut butter chips instead. The white chocolate adds a nice visual contrast and creamy sweetness, but the cookies will still be delicious with any mix-in you choose. I’ve even used chopped chocolate bars in a pinch.
How do I know when these cookies and cream chocolate cookies are done baking?
Look for edges that are set and a center that’s no longer wet or shiny—it should look just slightly matte. The cookies will seem underdone, almost too soft, but they’ll firm up as they cool on the pan. If you wait until they look fully baked in the oven, they’ll be overbaked and dry.
A Sweet Ending
There’s something incredibly satisfying about pulling a tray of these cookies and cream chocolate cookies from the oven—the way your kitchen fills with that rich chocolate aroma, how the white chocolate chips glisten against the dark cookie base, those chunks of Oreo peeking through like little treasures. They’re the kind of cookies that disappear from the cooling rack before they’ve even cooled completely.
I’d love to hear how yours turn out! Drop a comment below and share your baking experience, or tag me with your cookie photos. And if you’re on a chocolate kick, you absolutely need to try my chocolate lush cake next—it’s equally addictive!
Baked with love by Rebeccah Ellene.
Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl
- Handheld or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- #50 cookie scoop
- baking sheets
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 150g, be sure to measure properly by spooning into cup and leveling
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder 36g, this makes all the difference in depth of flavor
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113g, at room temperature, seriously don’t skip this step
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract use the good stuff if you have it
- 10 Oreo cookies coarsely chopped, original or double-stuffed both work
- ½ cup white chocolate chips 85g
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed with no cocoa clumps visible. The whisking aerates the flour and ensures you won’t get pockets of baking soda in your cookies. Set this bowl aside.
- In your large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. You’re looking for a light, fluffy mixture that’s pale in color—this incorporates air that helps create tender cookies. Don’t rush this step!
- Turn your mixer speed down to medium and add the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract, beating until fully combined and the mixture looks smooth. If you see any curdling, don’t panic—it’ll come together when you add the flour.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add your flour mixture in three additions, beating just until combined after each addition. Overmixing develops gluten, which creates tough, dense cookies instead of tender ones.
- Add the coarsely chopped Oreo cookies and white chocolate chips, mixing on low speed until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough. I like seeing chunky Oreo pieces peeking through!
- Cover your bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, though you can chill it for up to 3 days. This step is crucial—it allows the flour to fully hydrate, the flavors to develop, and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Don’t skip the lining—these cookies have enough chocolate to potentially stick.
- Using a #50 cookie scoop (or about 1.5 tablespoons of dough), roll the chilled dough into balls and place them on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges look set and the centers are no longer shiny or wet-looking. They’ll seem underdone, but they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan.
- Sometimes these loaded cookies don’t spread as much as I’d like because of all the mix-ins. If your cookies look too puffy, gently press down on the tops with the back of a spoon while they’re still hot from the oven. This creates those beautiful crackly tops!
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (this prevents them from breaking apart), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cooling time is when they develop their final chewy texture.
