Candy Cane Cookie Dough Bars

Ingredients

Chocolate Cookie Crust

• 26 Oreo Cookies
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Candy Cane Cookie Dough

• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup crushed candy canes (about 6 regular-sized candy canes), divided
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (see note about baking)
• 6 Tbsp whole milk
• Sprinkles, for topping if desired

Buttercream Frosting

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅛ tsp salt

Instructions

Chocolate Cookie Crust

• Put Oreo Cookies in a food processor and blend until they turn into fine crumbs. Pour in melted butter and pulse a few times until well blended.
• Line an 8×8 baking pan with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Pour cookie crumbs into baking pan and press down into even layer on bottom of pan.
• Place pan in freezer for 30 minutes while you prepare the cookie dough.

Candy Cane Cookie Dough

• In the bowl of a mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
• Add vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt and blend until combined. Mix in about ⅓ cup of the crushed candy canes.
• With mixer on low, slowly add flour to bowl until well combined. Keep mixer on low and add milk to combine until dough comes together. 
• Remove pan with cookie crust from freezer and press cookie dough into an even layer over cookie crust.
• Spread buttercream frosting over the top of the cookie dough and smooth evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle remaining crushed candy canes on top and add more sprinkles, if desired.
• Place pan in fridge to chill for at least 45 minutes. Once chilled, remove bars from pan by lifting foil. Using a sharp knife, slice into squares.

Buttercream Frosting

• In the bowl of an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer or whisk, beat together butter and confectioners’ sugar.
• Mix in peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and salt.

Notes

• If you are wary of eating raw flour (it’s recommended you bake it before eating it), you can toast it. Just spread flour on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. You can also buy “pre-baked” flour.
• I recommend keeping these bars in the fridge in an airtight container, but they’re also delicious frozen.