Crumbl Copycat Chocolate Oreo Cookies from Salt & Baker

Chocolate Oreo Cookies - made October 31, 2022 from Salt & Baker

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup black cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

20 Oreos, finely crushed (about 2 1/2 cups)

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

6 tablespoons butter

6 ounces cream cheese

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon heavy cream

2 tablespoons Oreo cookie crumbs, for topping

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined, light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
2. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing to combine. Scrape down bottom and sides of bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, black cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in 2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs.
4. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 2 additions, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined. 
5. Portion dough into 1/3 cup portions and roll into balls. Flatten slightly to form thick discs. Roll into remaining 1/2 cup Oreo crumbs. Cover and chill while oven preheats.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Evenly space dough discs on baking sheets and bake 8-9 minutes or until edges are barely set and tops are no longer shiny. Remove from oven and let rest on baking sheets for 3 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
7. Make frosting: cream together butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time until well combined. Add heavy cream to thin frosting.
8. Frost cooled cookies and garnish with Oreo cookie crumbs.

What's (almost) better than Oreo cookies? Using them to make Oreo cookies. Only bakers would understand that statement. I love Oreos straight out of the package. I'm less enamored of "cookies and cream" baked goods and prefer unadulterated Oreos. But I don't seem as snobby when it comes to using Oreos to make big, chewy cookies.

The key to getting that Oreo-like taste in a cookie, besides incorporating actual (crushed) Oreos into it, is using black cocoa. Not dark unsweetened cocoa but actual black cocoa. I used King Arthur's black cocoa and it worked really well to bring that Oreo flavor to this cookie. Like the Crumbl copycat pink velvet cookies, I didn't frost these (yeah, me and frosting have a distant relationship) but this cookie was just fine plain. Crisp around the edges, chewy in the middle and that satisfying Oreo flavor. This delivers on all fronts.