Recipe for Dirt Cookies

These chewy cookies are so addictive, people will be begging for more.

I first tried these dirt cookies when my friend Nana made them for a party. They are seriously addictive! And why not when you consider what is in them. In order to make these cookies, you need to first buy some Oreo cookies and crush them up. Then the Oreos are incorporated into the batter and baked. That’s a cookie within a cookie!
I regretted not posting them for Halloween because these cookies are great for Halloween since they look like dirt (hence the name) and fits the Halloween theme. However, they are so good that they deserve to be baked any time at all and especially now during the Christmas baking season. Be a rebel and bake these instead of the usual pretty, fancied up Christmas cookies. ^_^

You Like Me, You Really Like Me

I just recently made a batch here in Malaysia and when they came out, Nate and I had a little discussion about how Malaysians might not like them as they are a chewy cookie (remember in my chocolate chip cookie post I mentioned that most Asian cookies, or biscuits as they are known, are crisp, seldom soft and chewy?). We decided to share them anyway. Nate brought a container-full to work and I brought a container-full to a ladies’ gathering.

Container-Full of Dirt Cookies

Guess what? Nate’s container came home empty and mine came home almost empty. AND a few of the ladies came home with me and helped me bake up another half batch because they loved the cookies so much that they wanted to learn how to make it. Guess there are people here who like chewy cookies after all.
I have not yet met anyone who does not like these cookies. I think it’s the Oreos in them. You know how you can never just eat one Oreo cookie? Well, I think that is why it’s really hard to only eat one of these dirt cookies. If you are going to bake them, make sure you have lots of people to share them with lest you end up eating the whole batch yourself.
You’ve been warned!

Tips on Getting Dirty

Some notes on making these cookies. If you crush the Oreos just a little and leave them in bigger chunks, they will look “cleaner” and less “dirt-like” but if you crush the Oreos fine, you’ll end up with a more uniform cookie that looks “dirty” so depending on what effect you want to achieve, crush them accordingly.
The refrigeration time is pretty important. Even though the recipe says to chill for 1/2 hour before using, I find that if you can chill it for an hour, the cookie will not flatten as much and will be prettier and chewier.
Also, I always cut the sugar in my cookies and this one even more so because Oreos are already sweet. I will list the recipe in its original form but please feel free to hold back on the white sugar (I normally lessen it by 1/3). And never forget to include the salt—salt in cookies accentuates them and give them that extra addictive hit.

Dirt Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups (about 11 oz) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar (or less, I use about 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 cup (8 oz) butter, softened at room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups Oreo cookies, crushed up (into pea sized pieces or smaller), you can put it in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or put into food processor and pulse until they are crumbly, about 20 cookies total

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt (I find that this isn’t really necessary, mixing them together with a whisk or spoon is fine). Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream butter with white and brown sugar.
4. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
5. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
6. Stir in cookies. Chill for 1/2 hour (I find that 1 hour or more is better).

Crushed Oreos Mixed into Dirt Cookie Batter

7. Grease cookie sheets. Drop cookie batter on sheet and bake for 10-11 mins or until edges begin to brown. They will still be quite soft when you take them out of the oven.

Baked and Unbaked Dirt Cookies

8. Transfer to wire rack and cool.
Start eating them and try to stop! Really yummy with a cup of coffee or tea.
Enjoy!
Cheers, Annie