Cookies & Cream Recipe: Oreo Cheesecake

Did anyone else besides us crave Oreo cookies at lunch or snack time growing up? These cookies were gold on the playground, used as bartering chips or guarded carefully so as to not draw attention to their yummy presence. It's a been a while since those playground days, but our love for Oreos has not faded and we thought it would be cool to find a way to elevate their consumption-- not that it's even necessary! This cheesecake is the perfect way to do it. A classic cake with a classic cookie—and it’s easy to make—could it get any better?!   

Oreo Cheesecake

(Serves 12)

Ingredients

• 24 Oreo cookies, divided
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 packages (8 oz) brick cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Place 16 Oreos in food processor and begin pulsing until finely ground. Drizzle in melted butter and pulse. Press this Oreo crust into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan/spring form pan. (If you don’t have a food processor, place Oreos in a plastic bag, squeeze out all air and seal, run a rolling pin over the bag to break up the pieces.)
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs individually, making sure to blend mixture fully before adding the next egg.
4. Break up remaining Oreos (saving some if you want to ground them up and sprinkle on top as garnish) and mix into cake batter. Pour mixture into the pie pan. (Optional: add leftover cookies on top.)
5. Bake for 45 minutes, or until almost set. Remove from oven and refrigerate for 4 hours (or overnight).