Description
These cookies and cream pop tart bars have all the nostalgia but with an elevated twist! Made with tender chocolate shortbread and a thick layer of cookies and cream, these bars capture the flavor of the classic pop tart layered with incredible textures and richness.
Ingredients
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 (do not use chips, use a good quality bar of white chocolate)
- 5 Oreo cookies, crushed
Icing
- 3 cups (300g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (55g) milk
Instructions
Chocolate Shortbread
- Preheat the oven to 325F and grease and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Allow the paper to hang over the sides for easy removal.
- Tear off another sheet of parchment paper and place the pan on top. Trace the outline of the pan onto the paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and almond flour. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter until smooth.
- Then mix in half of the powdered sugar to combine. Once smooth, mix in the remaining powdered sugar.
- Now mix in the egg, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Dump in half of the dry ingredients and mix. Once combined, mix in the rest of the dry ingredients.
- Near the end, switch to a rubber spatula to help fully combine the dough.
- Split the dough in half. Spread one half into the bottom of the prepared pan and the other half on the sheet of parchment paper, filling the entire square. The dough is very sticky so take your time spreading. It helps to use a small offset spatula.
- Transfer the parchment paper square onto a plate and place into the freezer. Place the pan in the fridge.
Cream Filling
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and powdered sugar using a fork.
- Melt the white chocolate and pour into the bowl. Mix to combine.
- Crush the Oreos in a ziplock bag. Don’t dump in the whole bag. Instead, scoop out the larger chunks and leave behind about a tablespoon of the very fine crushed bits. These will be used to sprinkle on top.
- Once combined, spread an even layer on top of the shortbread that’s inside the 8×8 pan.
- Now peel back the paper from the frozen square of shortbread and place on top. If you have any gaps around the edges, scrape some of the dough from the center and spread out around the edges.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Allow the bars to cool completely, this will take about 1-2 hours in the fridge.
Icing
- Whisk together the sugar and milk to reach a glue consistency. If it’s too thin, add more sugar. Too thick, add more milk.
- Spread the icing over the chilled bars and sprinkle with the remaining crushed Oreos.
- Now slice and serve!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
