Cookies and Cream Rice Krispie Treats

These were awesome. Seriously awesome.

Another treat I made, this time especially for my brother Paulo. He has this addiction to Oreos, you see. I mean, bad. He has been this way from the time he could toddle around. My mom didn't really stock the pantry with them, but my brother was entranced by the ads on TV. "Oreo" was one of the first words he learned how to spell, thanks to those ads. In fact, because of his adoration, my mother actually started buying Oreos. He loved them; you'd never know from his beanpole physique, but he grew up eating these things all the time, and I mean all the time, even for breakfast. His obsession with all things Oreo continues until this day: the man has Oreo novelties galore, notepads and cookbooks and tins. Tins full of Oreos, of course. Don't know what to get Paul as a gift? Anything Oreo-themed is probably going to be well received, fortunately.

So, back to the baking: I was headed over to my brother's one Sunday and promised to bring dessert. I wanted to make Rice Krispie treats, and obviously wanted to have some fun with them. Adding Oreos, I decided, would be a no brainer. I did a quick Internet search, which brought up these and these and these... Oreo Rice Krispie treats are popular things, apparently! I liked bits of several recipes, so played around with them until I had what you see pictured.

These are more of a cookies and creme treat - chocolate rice krispie bars studded with chunks of Oreo cookies, and dipped in a creamy white chocolate topped with crushed Oreos. Oh, yes. And they taste as good as they sound! Needless to say, the ton of leftovers never made it out of my brother's house.

Cookies and Cream Rice Krispie® Treats
(Adapted from several recipes)

Ingredients:
1/2 c. chunks bittersweet chocolate
3-4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
10 oz. (1 pkg) marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla
6 c. Rice Krispie® cereal
15-20 Oreo® cookies, chopped
4-6 oz. white chocolate, chopped
15 Oreo® cookies

Place bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Set aside. Grease a 9X13 pan, and also set aside.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add marshmallows, and stir until melted and combined with butter. Turn off heat, and stir in melted bittersweet chocolate and vanilla. Gently stir in cereal and chopped cookies, and mix to coat evenly. Press into 9X13 pan, leveling the top (a buttered spatula works wonders here). Allow to cool completely.

Once cooled: cut into squares. Place remaining cookies in a food processor, and pulse until finely ground. Pour out onto a plate, for dipping. Place white chocolate in a small bowl. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted.

Dip the top of each square into the white chocolate, and then the crushed cookies. Set aside to cool and set completely. These will keep in an air-tight container like, forever. We still had one left over a week after I made them, and it was DELICIOUS.