3 Ways To Use Oreos In Your Holiday Recipes

If you’re anything like me, you may well have a pack of Oreos in your pantry somewhere – and it may be going stale pretty quickly. I like Oreos as much as the next person, but at some point down the line, I developed the unfortunate habit of impulse-buying them, eating a couple, and then not finishing the rest. I do it with other cookies, too. And it’s only with cookies. Candy? No problem getting through a whole bag. Chips? Try and stop me. But cookies? I’ve thrown away more than a few in my time, and I need to stop. 

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I was reminded of this when I spotted a half-tube of Oreos stuffed behind my peanut butter and tahini jars a few days ago, and I thought, “There’s got to be a way to put these to use.” Turns out, there is. There are several ways. And as the holidays are coming up, we’re putting a festive spin on them. 

Oreo Holiday Bark

Whether you’re making it for yourself or gifting it to someone, holiday bark is both easy to create and a useful vessel for leftover candy and cookies – like Oreos. Begin by pouring melted semi-sweet chocolate into a lined pan and allowing it to cool slightly, before dabbing white chocolate on top and swirling it with a toothpick. Then, the fun part: Sprinkle over crushed-up Oreos and candy canes. You can use any Oreo flavor you like here, but you might want to opt for one of its holiday options to give your bark a brighter color. 

Once your toppings are evenly distributed and gently pressed into the chocolate, pop your tray in the fridge and leave the bark to set. Retrieve, break into pieces, and divide into servings. Or, just pile it up on a plate, put said plate on your lap, and go to town.

Oreo Cinnamon Rolls

If cinnamon rolls are on constant rotation this time of year, and you’re looking for a way to make them just that bit more interesting, you can do so in two ways – both with Oreos. The first is by mixing crushed-up Oreos into the dough itself: When you add your cinnamon sugar filling, throw in a layer of Oreo pieces, with a little dusting of cocoa powder to bring out the cookie’s chocolate notes.

If you’re working with canned cinnamon rolls, though, don’t worry about trying to shove the cookies in. Instead, just bash them up and sprinkle them on top of the icing. The cookies will give your rolls a touch of crunch, a pop of cookie flavor, and a bit more pizzazz. 

Oreo Gingerbread Cookie Balls

A few days ago, I was busy waxing lyrical about Betty Crocker’s new Oreo Truffles – but you don’t need to buy those to make your own, more festive version at home. Instead, make yourself a batch of Oreo Gingerbread Cookie Balls. To do this, you combine cream cheese, crushed Oreo crumbs (golden Oreos are best here), molasses, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger in a bowl before rolling them into balls and leaving them to set in the fridge. The cookie crumbs serve as a binder here, so the balls keep their shape. 

Once fully set, take them out and dip them in white baking chocolate before decorating the balls with sprinkles of your choice. To paraphrase Ina Garten, how festive is that?