Turn Your Walmart Haul Into Gold With These Fabulous Golden Oreo Brownies
These Golden Oreo Brownies more than hit the spot when I crave the chewy comfort of a buttery brown-sugar-based brownie coupled with crunchy Oreos and decadent cream filling. They’re an excellent alternative to standard chocolate brownies, and their summery color and yummy flavor will make them a star at your next BBQ or picnic.
Plus, you probably have all of the ingredients on hand or can pick them up at a convenient spot like Walmart or Target, so they’ll come together super quickly, and you won’t have to run around searching for any ingredients. These brownies are one of my signature summer dishes, and they’ve gone over perfectly at everything from backyard BBQs to impromptu brunches with the girls. They strike the perfect balance between being unexpected and bringing that big, bold, nostalgic vanilla flavor.
Incredible Texture in Every Bite
These brownies are a textural playground of crunchy and soft, studded with plenty of white chocolate morsels and laced with lovely vanilla and the rich flavor of brown sugar. I love the interplay of crunch cookies, velvety cream, and decadent brownie base that you get in every bite. Plus, you can amp up the texture by sprinkling even more white chocolate chips on top if you wish. I like to experiment with any yummy toppings that are hanging out in my pantry.
Plus, in most traditional brownies, vanilla tends to take a backseat to the primary flavors of chocolate or fudge. Not in this version. Instead, vanilla gets the flavor spotlight with the addition of Golden Oreos, a riff on the popular sandwich cookie that features a light cookie base and a generous amount of velvety cream. The vanilla in the brownie base reinforces these taste notes too, and the brown sugar keeps it from being too one-note.
A Winning Combo of Ingredients
Although you can experiment a bit with the toppings, such as adding extra chocolate chips, I’ve found it best not to mess with the perfection that is the foundation of this dish. Also, I know from experience that real, unsalted butter does make a world of difference. While you will be using a bit of salt to offset the vanilla and give this dish some incredible depth, unsalted butter lets you regulate exactly how much will wind up in the finished product. Let it defrost to room temperature, and you’ll have no problem stirring into your silky brownie base.
The mix of brown sugar and white granulated sugar helps give these brownies a beautiful gold-tinged color and sophisticated sweetness that plays perfectly with the whimsical nature of these cookies. You’ll need a few 2 ½ cups of brown sugar for this recipe, so make sure you stock up on your grocery store run. This ingredient is endlessly versatile for both sweet and savory dishes, so it’s always worth it to have a few extra bags of light and dark brown sugar on hand.
Eggs, vanilla extract, and a full cup of white chocolate chips round off the flavor profile nicely and stick to the warm buttery color palate. Finally, you’ll need between 15 and 20 Golden Oreos, although you might want to pick up a few extra to snack on while you’re whipping up this delicious dessert. You want to make sure that you have enough cookies to fully cover the top so that each bite has that ideal balance of cookie and cake.
Comes Together in a Flash
These brownies are fabulous for those days when you get invited to a party at the last minute and need something fantastic to bring with you. From start to finish, it takes less than an hour to get these brownies in and out of the oven. Plus, with a scant 15 minutes of preparation time, all you have to do is stir the ingredients together, bake at 350, and be rewarded with 18 servings of some of the best homemade brownies you’ve ever tasted.
I like to enjoy these desserts right out of the oven because the white chocolate chips are super gooey and melt into the warm brown sugar base, but you can also store them in an airtight container for up to a week. Additionally, you can play with some of the toppings, making these brownies a fun and customizable experience. You’ll want to use whole Golden Oreos for the majority of your topping, but you can also feel free to use crushed-up Oreo pieces to ensure that the entire brownie foundation is covered. You sprinkle additional white chocolate chips on top or use regular chocolate chips for a fun flavor and color contrast. A drizzle of thinned-out cream cheese frosting or a simple mixture of milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla is excellent, too.
If you’re feeling pretty fancy—and who doesn’t sometimes—consider swapping out some Golden Oreos for regular-flavored ones and creating a checkerboard pattern across the top of your brownies. You can also use other types of cookies with the same base, like NutterButter cookies crowned with whole NutterButters and some crushed peanuts, or even Nilla Wafters if you’re craving that vanilla kick but want a slight variation. The sky and the new delicious heights you can achieve with a bit of imagination are endless. That’s the true beauty of this recipe; it lets your kitchen wizardry shine and is pretty much foolproof.
Give Your Brownies a Glow-Up
While these brownies will never replace your favorite, fudgy treats, they’re an excellent alternative that features homey flavors plenty of crunch, and is sure to satisfy. It also takes less than an hour, and all of the ingredients are common ones that you’ll either have in your pantry or can pick up on a quick grocery run. I call that a win-win-win!
Plus, they’re a lighter version of your favorite brownies, perfect for summer thanks to a golden hue and oodles of vanilla. Bake up a batch, and I’m sure that they’ll quickly become one of your go-tos, like they are for me.
