Cookies and Cream Pop Tart Bars Recipe

Bylilan Sage
Jump to Recipe

Introduction

These Cookies and Cream Pop Tart Bars combine rich chocolate shortbread with a creamy, dreamy filling dotted with Oreo chunks. Topped with a simple glaze and extra cookie crumbles, they’re the perfect treat to satisfy your sweet tooth anytime.

The image shows close-up chocolate dessert bars cut into squares on a white tray. Each bar has three layers: the bottom layer is dark brown, dense, and fudgy; the middle layer is a lighter golden brown, smooth and creamy; the top layer is thick white frosting that slightly drips down the sides, sprinkled with dark brown cookie crumbs scattered unevenly on top. One square is missing from the middle, showing the clear layer separation. The tray rests on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (128g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (50g) dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 cup (100g) almond flour
  • 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups (170g) powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar
  • 2 oz white chocolate, melted (use a good quality bar, not chips)
  • 5 Oreo cookies, crushed
  • 3 cups (300g) powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup (55g) milk

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides for easy removal.
  2. Step 2: Tear another parchment sheet and place the pan on top; trace its outline on the paper and set aside.
  3. Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and almond flour; set aside.
  4. Step 4: In a large bowl, beat the butter with a mixer until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar in two parts, beating well after each addition.
  5. Step 5: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and kosher salt until the mixture is smooth.
  6. Step 6: Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined; then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix again.
  7. Step 7: Use a rubber spatula to fully incorporate the dough.
  8. Step 8: Divide the dough in half. Spread one half evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the other half over the parchment paper square, covering the entire traced square. Use a small offset spatula to manage the sticky dough.
  9. Step 9: Place the parchment paper square with dough on a plate and freeze. Refrigerate the pan with dough.
  10. Step 10: In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese and 1/4 cup powdered sugar with a fork until smooth.
  11. Step 11: Melt the white chocolate and fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
  12. Step 12: Crush the Oreos in a ziplock bag, keeping some larger chunks separate from finer crumbs for garnish.
  13. Step 13: Fold most of the crushed Oreos into the cream filling, reserving some fine crumbs for topping.
  14. Step 14: Spread the cream filling evenly over the shortbread in the pan.
  15. Step 15: Remove the frozen shortbread square from parchment and place it on top of the cream filling. Press gently to seal edges, filling any gaps with leftover dough.
  16. Step 16: Bake for 35-40 minutes until set.
  17. Step 17: Cool completely, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours to chill.
  18. Step 18: Whisk together powdered sugar and milk to a thick but spreadable glaze. Adjust by adding more sugar or milk as needed.
  19. Step 19: Spread the glaze over the chilled bars and sprinkle with remaining crushed Oreos.
  20. Step 20: Slice into squares and serve.

Tips & Variations

  • Use good quality white chocolate bars for melting instead of chips to ensure a smooth texture in the filling.
  • Press the dough gently but firmly to avoid gaps between layers for a cleaner finish.
  • Try adding a pinch of espresso powder to the dough to enhance the chocolate flavor.
  • For a nut-free version, simply omit the almond flour and increase the all-purpose flour by 1 cup.

Storage

Store these bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze them wrapped tightly for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving. Reheat briefly at room temperature or warm gently to soften the glaze if desired.

How to Serve

A tray holds nine square pieces of chocolate brownies arranged in a loose grid, each topped with a thick, smooth layer of white frosting that looks slightly melted and spreads unevenly. The frosting is sprinkled with dark chocolate cookie crumbs finely broken up, adding texture contrast. The brownies are dark brown with a dense, soft texture visible on the edges. Crumbs of chocolate cookies are scattered around the tray on top of a piece of light brown parchment paper, all set against a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular flour instead of almond flour?

Almond flour adds moisture and tenderness to the dough, so substituting with all-purpose flour may change the texture slightly. If necessary, you can replace almond flour with an equal amount of all-purpose flour, but expect a less tender bar.

Do I have to use Oreo cookies for the filling?

Oreos provide the classic cookies and cream flavor, but you can substitute with other sandwich cookies or crushed chocolate chip cookies for a different twist.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Cookies and Cream Pop Tart Bars Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 135 reviews
  • Author: lilan
  • Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 16 bars 1x
Print Recipe

Description

These Cookies and Cream Pop Tart Bars are a delightful twist on the classic pop tart, featuring a rich chocolate shortbread crust layered with creamy white chocolate and cream cheese filling, topped with crunchy crushed Oreos and a smooth powdered sugar icing. Perfect as a decadent dessert or sweet snack, these bars combine the best of cookies and cream flavors in an easy-to-slice square format.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Shortbread

  • 1 cup (128g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (50g) dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 cup (100g) almond flour
  • 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1 1/2 cups (170g) powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Cream Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temp
  • 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar
  • 2 oz white chocolate, melted (use a quality bar, not chips)
  • 5 Oreo cookies, crushed (reserve about 1 tablespoon of fine crumbs for topping)

Icing

  • 3 cups (300g) powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup (55g) milk

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Chocolate Shortbread: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the sides for easy removal later. Tear off another sheet of parchment paper and place the pan on top. Trace the pan’s outline on the paper, then set this aside to use for the dough layer.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, dutch process cocoa powder, and almond flour until well combined. Set aside.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add half the powdered sugar and mix until combined, then add the remaining powdered sugar and mix again until smooth.
  4. Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and kosher salt until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated.
  5. Combine Dough: Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix again. Near the end, switch to a rubber spatula to ensure the dough is fully combined; the dough will be very sticky.
  6. Divide and Spread Dough: Split the dough into two equal portions. Press one half evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Spread the second half evenly onto the parchment paper outline you previously traced, using an offset spatula to manage the sticky dough. Place the dough on parchment into the freezer, and put the pan with dough in the refrigerator.
  7. Make the Cream Filling: In a medium bowl, mix the room temperature cream cheese with 1/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth using a fork or mixer. Melt the white chocolate gently and pour it into the cream cheese mixture. Mix thoroughly to combine.
  8. Prepare Oreo Topping: Place the Oreo cookies in a ziplock bag and crush them. Scoop out the larger chunks for mixing into the cream filling, and reserve about a tablespoon of the fine crushed bits for sprinkling on top later.
  9. Assemble Bars: Spread an even layer of the cream filling over the chocolate shortbread in the 8×8 pan. Peel the solid dough layer from the frozen parchment paper carefully and place it on top of the cream filling. If there are any gaps around the edges, scrape some dough from the center and press it into the edges to seal.
  10. Bake: Bake the assembled bars in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until set and slightly firm.
  11. Cool Bars: Remove from oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Then refrigerate for 1-2 hours to chill and firm up fully.
  12. Prepare Icing: Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk to create a glaze with a glue-like consistency. Adjust the thickness by adding more sugar if too thin, or milk if too thick.
  13. Finish Bars: Spread the icing evenly over the chilled bars. Sprinkle the reserved crushed Oreo crumbs on top decoratively.
  14. Serve: Slice into squares and enjoy your Cookies and Cream Pop Tart Bars!

Notes

  • Use a high-quality white chocolate bar for melting, as chips contain stabilizers that prevent smooth melting.
  • Chilling the dough layers separately helps create an even, firm crust and top when baked.
  • Handling the sticky dough with an offset spatula makes spreading easier.
  • The icing glaze can be adjusted in thickness to achieve the desired texture on top of the bars.
  • Allow bars to chill thoroughly before slicing to ensure clean cuts.
  • Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: cookies and cream bars, pop tart bars, chocolate shortbread bars, white chocolate cream cheese filling, Oreo dessert bars

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Avatar photo

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆