There is a special spot in my pantry that is the designated Oreo Hiding Place. It’s the spot where I have to actually stick my head in the pantry to see what is there. Sometimes I get lucky and there are Oreos there that I’ve forgotten about. (And sometimes I cry.)
I think it’s a sign I’m getting old. I remember my mom used to hide candy from herself. I always balked at this and insisted that if there was candy to be had, there was no way I could forget about it. But here I am, hiding something way better and more addictive than candy and forgetting that it’s there. Please tell me I’m not the only one who can throw down Oreos like nobody’s business?
In other news, I hosted my first book club last night. It’s actually an article club. Most of my friends that I talked to about a book club said they don’t have time for reading. So instead of discussing 400 page books, I decided we should discuss 15 minute articles/podcasts instead. Much easier to manage, and then we still get to hang out once a month to eat food and chat. Has anyone else tried anything like this? It was so fun! We discussed this 5 minute video about what your parents most want you to be (Good? Happy? Successful? Smart?) Made for some awesome discussion.
I made these Raspberry Almond Crumb Bars from my friend Julie over at Lovely Little Kitchen and they were aaaamazing. You guys have to pin that one. They were so good.
But back to the Oreos. I made some Fauxreos. Get it???
I know homemade cookies with homemade frosting is not a new idea, but I’d never seen anyone smoosh a super dark chocolate brownie together with some frosting. (until I googled it of course. Shelly from Cookies and Cups had this same idea just a month or so ago. Check out her recipe here. Great minds think alike! Google is always there to reassure you that You’re Just Not That Original. I love you too Google. Shelly’s recipe looks a lot different than mine though, I will have to try hers out next time.)
This recipe starts out with a deep dark chocolate brownie with a secret ingredient: browned butter. I know, I know, I talk about browned butter too much. But hear me out guys. These Browned Butter Brownies are the. best.
I used Special Dark Cocoa and left out some of the sugar, which resulted in a not-that-sweet super-dark brownie. Kinda like an Oreo, right? Then filled it with firm vanilla buttercream. They are kind of amazing, and made me not-so-sad that my Oreo Hiding Place was indeed empty.
PS. Today is the last day to enter the giveaway for the Blendtec! Hurry!
PPS. Remember how my sister wrote a novel and got signed with a literary agent this week? Yeah, that happened. Enter her giveaway!
Do you guys give up? Or are you thirsty for more?
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Homemade Brownie Oreos
Ingredients
For the brownies:
- 1 & 1/4 cup salted butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 & 1/2 cups Special Dark cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
For the cream filling:
- 2/3 cup salted butter, softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons cream
- 4 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally. The butter will foam up, then back down and start forming brown colored milk solids or “bits”. When it is light brown and starts to smell like you could drink it straight, that’s when you know it’s done. (Here’s a good lesson on browned butter.)
- Meanwhile in a stand mixer or large bowl combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the butter when it is nice and brown, and beat it together.
- Add the water and vanilla and beat again.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly between each addition.
- Add the flour and stir until it is just barely incorporated.
- Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper. Or line it with foil and spray with nonstick spray, or you can spray the pan itself.
- Spread the batter into the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool completely.
- Cut the brownies into small squares, or use a 2-inch biscuit cutter to make circles. Dip a knife in very hot water, then wipe dry with a cloth. Then slice each brownie horizontally, so that you can fill it like a sandwich.
- Make the frosting: Cream the butter with a mixer until smooth. Add one cup of powdered sugar and combine. Add 1 tablespoon of cream, then another cup of powdered sugar. Add the vanilla. Add in the rest of the cream and powdered sugar in increments.
- Spread a tablespoon or two of the frosting on the cut side of a brownie and cover with the top half. Then smoosh it in your face!
Notes
Nutrition
Brown butter makes the world go round.
After the vanilla and water, pre-eggs.
Try not to eat all this finished product here. It has the consistency of cement, so have fun spreading! :) It’s not that bad, I promise.
Ready for the oven. I love parchment paper and I use it for just about everything.
Use a tiny biscuit cutter to make circles. Or if you don’t want to waste the edges, do squares.
Sooooo daaaaaaark….
Chop em like so. I could have baked a thinner brownie and skipped this step, but I wanted them to bake up really soft. Then fill and stuff! (your face.)
Some other fun Oreo desserts:
Oreo Cheesecake Bars from The Food Charlatan
Oreo Rice Krispie Treats from Chef in Training
Cookies and Cream White Chocolate Blondies from Cooking for Keeps
The original Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie from Picky Palate
Yep. Gonna need to make these, but I don’t think I’m strong enough to hide them from myself! Your book club sounds awesome, too – I’m the only big reader in my circle of friends, but I bet I could convince them to read/watch/listen to something short but thought-provoking! Great post.
AHHH!! Karen, you are just killing me! I can barely wrap my brain around how awesome these oreos look. You are my new best friend. That is all. Also, I am pinning and making these oreos ASAP. :D
Hi Karen, you are the queen of brownies for sure, another great recipe. Love the idea of a article club, what a great idea, sounds like you had a lot of fun.
Yes yes yes yes!!!! I can absolutely throw down oreos like nobody’s business, which is precisely why I can never have them in my house. I’m seriously madly in love with these. Maybe because they’re homemade I can actually justify eating them?? Yes, I think yes.
P.S. Thanks for the link!! Oreos for life.
wow they look great!
Oh, yeah and a big CONGRATS to Nikki!!
Hi Karen! Love the Oreo brownie idea. You are full of ways to exploit my butter and sugar addition. I also love that some of the videos and “deep thought’ stuff I send your way (or actually to Eric) ends up being useful! I still feel the need to parent my grown children.
These are the cutest little things! You’re group text made me laugh! I have 3 sisters and we do the same thing. If I leave my phone sometimes I will see I have 45 messages! It’s great to have good relationships! Congrats, to your sister, how fun!
Any kind of club where a bunch of women get together and discuss stuff makes me break out in panic (probably actual hives if it involves parenting in any way). I still have horrible flashbacks of that one time when you took me to that Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother book club…*shudder* Makes me want to go stuff my face with straight butter…ok maybe with some dark, dark chocolate involved….
So glad you liked the Raspberry Almond Crumb Bars! Thank you for sharing them here!
Of course Julie! They were amazing! Like, gone in 2 days amazing. I’m surprised you lasted 5 days, you must have much more self control than me :)
I just saw your recipe on Pinterest and thought that was the best idea in the entire world. Dark chocolate brownies are my favorite dessert of all time — no joke! — so turning them into Oreos is pure genius. Even if I stashed them in a secret spot, there is absolutely no way I’d forget about them. I’d skip breakfast, lunch, and dinner just to eat the entire batch in one day! No shame.
And I love your idea for a book club with podcasts and videos instead! It’s true, I barely have time to read regular books anymore. I mainly have little snippets of time here and there, and with blogging, we’re already on the internet 24/7 so… It means all of those little distractions on Pinterest and YouTube would actually be productive if I had a book club to share them with!
P.S. I just noticed on your Pinterest profile you’re near Sacramento — so am I! :)
Oh my gosh, oreos are so addicting! I bet I wouldn’t be able to stop eating these!! Brilliant idea. :) They look absolutely delicious!
Haha! I’m the same way about having secret “my food only” hiding spots, but it’s usually chips. I’m a salt loving girl. d
I’ve always wanted to do a book club! But an article club sounds much more approachable. Then no pressure to finish a whole book.
These fauxreos look SOOOO good Karen! Kind of remind me of a yummier whoopie pie. Or is it whoopie cookie? I should probably know that one. Ha!
Dark, dark, dark brown is a goooood color on desserts.
I love your idea for a “book” club (an “idea club?”) But when/if my book is published, everyone will suddenly have time for 400 pages, okay? I mean, who wouldn’t want to read quotes like this: “Señor El Gangster: Dumb as a dead cat in a dryer. Violent as a live one in the same place.” Tell me you wouldn’t read that? (Um, actually if you can’t say something nice, don’t say it. Haha)
Thanks for all your congratulations, Karen!!
Thanks for visiting my blog, those who did. More than a few said you wanted to read the manuscript that got me an agent, and that made my day!!!!
OH MY GOODNESS! NO FREAKING WAY!!! I NEED TO USE ALL CAPS BECAUSE THIS IS RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING!!! Seriously, I want these so bad in my life. They look SO good! Pinned :)