Fat Friday: Oreo-Brownie-Chocolate Chip Bars

There is only one word that can adequately describe these bars:

Insane.

When I first saw them here at Kevin and Amanda's, my first thought was, "Oh my sweet Lord are those real?" Because . . . GENIUS. Chocolate chip cookies PLUS Oreos PLUS brownies?

Genius.

My kids have been begging me to make them for weeks and since I'm never one to say no to my kids (ahem), here they are in all their glory.

Here's whatcha need:

Your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe - a full batch

1 package of Double Stuf Oreos

1 brownie mix (or your own homemade brownies) for a 9x13 pan

My favorite chocolate chip cookies are called "Neiman Marcus Cookies". Remember the old urban legend that was all the rage back in the '80's? If you weren't around in the '80's then google it. It also goes by other, famous department store names but the basic story is the same;

A woman eats at the famous department store's tearoom or cafe and gets a cookie for dessert. She's so impressed by the cookie she requests the recipe and is informed by her server that it will cost her two-fifty. The woman thinks "No problemo" until she gets her credit card bill and there's a charge, not for $2.50, as she assumed, but for $250.00 for the recipe. She complains to the store and gets no satisfaction so she proceeds to exact her revenge by giving the recipe out to anyone who wants it.

Isn't it a great story? Too bad it's an urban legend and isn't true. But either way, I got the recipe for free and it's my all time favorite! It uses half flour and half ground up oatmeal. It gives the cookie extra chewiness and structure. Plus it's healthy.

Because that's what impresses me in a cookie - healthiness.

Here's the printable recipe for my chocolate chip cookies AND I have tips for you!

Tip #1:

The recipe calls for 2-1/2 c. of blended oatmeal. I take this to mean 2-1/2 c of measured oatmeal, blended into a fine powder, NOT oatmeal blended up until you get 2-1/2 c. There's a difference in volume.

Here's what it looks like after it's time in the blender. It's like flour with just a few small oatmeal chunks. Perfect.

Tip #2:

My recipe calls for creaming the butter and sugars. The above picture is not what you want.

This is what you want. You'll get a better cookie if the butter and sugar are creamed long enough. I promise.

After you make your chocolate chip cookie dough, put it in a 9x13 pan. I lined mine with greased parchment paper and I was not sorry. When they were done baking and cooling I lifted the entire thing out of the pan.

Beauty.

Next you need these - almost the entire package. I say almost because my helper . . .

. . . who got braces this week, needed a cookie to make her feel better. The braces make her teeth hurt and we all know and appreciate the medicinal value of Oreos.

Place the Oreos on top of the raw cookie dough, pressing them down lightly.

Mix up your brownie mix and spread it over the Oreos. Bake 45-55 minutes at 350F. In my oven I let it go the full 55 minutes and I should have taken them out around 47 - 50 minutes. They got a bit dry.

Also, it seemed like there wasn't enough brownie batter - it was pretty thin over the Oreos and I hoped the brownie part would puff up more.

Alas, the brownie layer - my favorite part - remained thin. They still tasted amazing but I'd like to tweak it a bit. Maybe put the brownie layer on the bottom of the pan next time. I'm not sure about doubling the brownie recipe - the pan was pretty darn full by the end of baking!

Click here for printable.

You should probably go make these immediately and then weigh in with your opinion. I mean it - go do it now. Your family will thank you by worshipping at your feet. They may even erect a statue in your honor.

Because these bars are INSANE.

I'm not even sure they're legal.