Cookies are great and all, but have you made cookie BARS? They're essentially a blondie, but it's more fun to call them cookie bars. The best of both worlds collide in this chewy oreo cookie bar recipe. Perfectly gooey cookie bars with crumbled Oreo scattered throughout the batter, you'll instantly fall in love and not want to share.
These cookies are excellent to make for friend gatherings, birthdays, or for a weekend treat aside a barbecue or just because you want a little something special.
Cookies lend itself to endless varieties and possibilities, so this recipe is inspired by my delicious kitchen sink cookie skillet, my chocolate peppermint cookies, and my classic brown butter M&M cookies.
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Why you'll love this cookie bar
- They require NO chill time. Make, bake, and enjoy!
- A cookie within a cookie? Say less.
- This cookie bar is great to throw in the freezer for a random rainy day.
What are the ingredients for this cookie bar recipe?
- Butter: Make sure your butter is room temperature, so let it sit on the counter for at least 20 minutes before using. If you're taking the butter out from the freezer, approximately 40 minutes should do it.
- Cane Sugar - the sugar is actually what makes this recipe even more delicious as it helps with the moisture and texture. WE use two different types but the cane sugar is entirely necessary.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Adding in the dark brown sugar will yield a chewier cookie, and the molasses gives a really delicious flavor.
- Eggs - eggs are essential to every baked recipe. They help bind ingredients while also aiding in the moisture and texture.
- Vanilla Extract - vanilla gives the bake a little more flavor.
- All Purpose Flour: If you're gluten free, swap this out with 1:1 gluten free flour
- Baking Soda - our leavening agent used in these cookies.
- Oreos: Crumble as many as you want, the more the merrier.
- Chocolate Chips - optional, but fully encouraged.
See the recipe card below for specific information about quantities.
Swaps and Substitutions
If you're looking to adapt some things in this cookie bar recipe to fit your lifestyle, here's what I would suggest:
- Flour: you can swap out the all purpose flour to use gluten free, but the texture will change a little bit. If you are swapping out the regular flour, I recommend Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour for these.
- Butter: you can swap out the regular butter and opt in plant-based butter.
- Oreos: if you're looking for a GF version of oreos, Glutino makes delicious ones, as does the Oreo brand itself!
How do I make these cookies?
Step 1: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add in eggs and vanilla extract, then mix again.
Step 2: To the same bowl, add in flour and baking soda and mix together using a spatula.
Step 3: Once the flour is mostly incorporated add in the chocolate chips and crumbled oreos. Meanwhile, Preheat the oven to 350º
Step 4: Pour the batter into the greased tin then using a spatula, distribute the batter evenly within the tin then bake for 23-25 minutes.
HINT: These cookie bars will continue to bake and set after they are taken out of the oven, so be sure to time them efficiently so that they don't over bake!
Ways to vary this cookie bar recipe
What I love about making cookies or cookie bars like my s'mores blondie is that you can make the entire recipe your own! See below for some fun variations on this oreo cookie bar recipe:
- Go Nuts - if you don't want oreos, add in walnuts or pecans.
- Cookies - instead of adding the batter to a 9x9 pan, you can make them into individual cookies, similar to my cookies and cream recipe.
- Oreo Base - instead of crumbling the oreos into the batter, blend the oreos together to form cookie crumbles, and make a base for the cookie batter at the bottom of the pan. Mix the cookie crumbles with some butter, then press down into the pan. Let it set for 20 minutes in the fridge then add in the cookie batter.
Tips for making the best Oreo cookie bars
- Do not over-mix the cookie batter. Over-mixing happens when you over cream, over stir, or over whisk the batter when the flour is folded in. I recommend moving to a spatula when folding in the flour. It's a lot less aggressive than a whisk.
- Cookies continue to bake as they cool, so stick to the bake time outlined in the card below. No one wants a sad, overbaked cookie bar.
- Let the cookies sit and cool before cutting into them. They need time to rest. When it's time to cut, use a sharp, warmed knife to get the lines as smooth as possible.
How do I store these cookie bars?
To Store: You can store any cookies in a plastic or glass container and can be left on the countertop for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: If you have leftover or want to make a batch for another day, freeze the cookie dough in an air tight freezer storage bag and be sure to label the date in which the dough was formed. Also, indicate the bake time and temp: bake at 325º for 18 minutes.
PRO TIP:
Add a little flaky sea salt on top of the bars when they are done baking, for a fun savory-sweet flavor profile.
Hungry for More?
Looking for other cookie recipes that are kind of amazing? Check these out!
Soft and Chewy Oreo Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 1 hand or stand mixer
- 1 kitchen scale optional
- 1 spatula
- 1 whisk optional
- 1 9x9 baking pan
- parchment paper
- measuring spoons and cups
- 1 large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz butter room temperature
- 100 grams cane sugar ½ cup
- 125 grams dark brown sugar ⅝ cup
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 256 grams all purpose flour 2 cups
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups oreos crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º and grease a 9x9 tin then line with parchment.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Add in eggs and vanilla extract, then mix again.
- To the same bowl, add in flour and baking soda and mix together using a spatula.
- Once the flour is mostly incorporated add in the chocolate chips and crumbled oreos.
- Pour the batter into the greased tin then using a spatula, distribute the batter evenly within the tin then bake for 23-25 minutes.
- Let the cookie bars cool in the tin for 40 minutes, then cut into 16 slices and remove to fully cool on a cooling rack.
Dayna G says
I made these cookies with my kids this weekend and there are none left. We ate them all. This recipe is absolutely perfect. I love that they were cookie bars rather than cookies so that I didn't have to chill the dough.
Andrea P says
I've seen so many recipes like this one, and I am so glad I found yours. These cookie bars were perfectly "chewy" and filled with the oreo crumbles, my daughter could not stop sneaking her hand into the container of them. We will be making these again, thanks!
Ellen says
These were so good. I made them for friends this weekend we all could not stop talking about how chewy they are. I also love the cookies in a bar because I don't have to chill the batter. Less work!