No Bake Chewy Cookies and Cream Bars
These no bake cookies and cream bars are everything you want in a summer treat, or honestly, any time you want something sweet without heating up your kitchen. Crushed Oreos get folded into a gooey marshmallow base, pressed into a pan, and topped with a white chocolate drizzle that sets up firm enough to slice. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes of actual hands-on work, and then the fridge does the rest.
What You'll Need
- The ingredient list here is short, which is part of the appeal. You need one standard package of Oreos (14.3 oz), about
- 40 cookies total. Grab a bag of mini marshmallows, which melt more evenly than the large ones. You'll also need unsalted butter, a splash of vanilla extract, and white chocolate chips for the topping.
Full quantities:
40 Oreo cookies, divided 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 cups mini marshmallows 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 1 teaspoon coconut oil or neutral oil (for the drizzle)
Set aside about 8 cookies for topping. Crush the remaining 32 into rough pieces, not a fine powder. You want some bigger chunks in there for texture. A zip-top bag and a rolling pin works perfectly, or just pulse a few times in a food processor.
How to Make Them
Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper and let the edges hang over the sides. This makes lifting the bars out so much easier later.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Once it's melted, add the mini marshmallows and stir constantly until they're completely smooth. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Keep the heat low so nothing scorches. Remove the pan from heat, stir in the vanilla, then immediately add your crushed Oreos. Work quickly here because the mixture starts to stiffen as it cools.
Scrape everything into your prepared pan and press it down firmly with a spatula or the back of a spoon. If it sticks to your spatula, dampen it lightly with water. Press the reserved whole or broken cookies gently into the top surface.
Melt the white chocolate chips with the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl, heating in 30-second intervals and stirring between each one. Once smooth, drizzle it over the top of the bars in whatever pattern you like. A fork dipped into the chocolate and waved back and forth works fine.
Refrigerate for at least one hour before slicing. Two hours is better if you have the patience.
Tips for the Best Texture
The chewiness in these bars comes from the marshmallow ratio and how firmly you pack them. Don't skimp on pressing them down. If you leave them too loose and airy, they'll crumble when you cut them.
Cookie chunk size matters more than you'd think. A full fine crumb gives you a denser, fudgier bar. Bigger pieces give you something chewier with more contrast. I prefer a mix, so I crush most of the cookies but leave a good number as rough halves and quarters.
If your marshmallow mixture seems too stiff to mix before you get all the cookies incorporated, set the pot back on low heat for about 30 seconds and stir. It loosens right back up.
For clean slices, run a sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut. Repeat between each slice. Cold bars cut much cleaner than room temperature ones, so keep them refrigerated until just before serving.
Variations Worth Trying
Once you have the base recipe down, this one is fun to play with. Golden Oreos swapped in for the classic give you a butterscotch-forward bar that feels completely different. Add a handful of mini chocolate chips to the mixture before pressing, or swap the white chocolate drizzle for dark chocolate.
A thin layer of cream cheese frosting spread on top before the white chocolate drizzle turns these into something that tastes almost like a cheesecake bar. Just mix 4 oz softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and spread it over the chilled bars before drizzling.
For a peanut butter version, stir 2 tablespoons of peanut butter into the marshmallow mixture right before adding the cookies. The flavor is subtle but really good.
Storing and Making Ahead
These bars keep well in the refrigerator for up to five days in an airtight container. Layer them between pieces of parchment if you're stacking them so the drizzle doesn't stick to the bars below.
They also freeze beautifully. Cut them into individual bars, wrap each one in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to two months. Pull one out and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes when you want one. They thaw quickly and the texture holds up well.
If you're making these for a party or potluck, you can prep them the night before and refrigerate overnight. They actually slice more neatly after a longer chill, so making ahead works in your favor.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, large marshmallows work fine. Use about 32 to 35 large marshmallows in place of the 4 cups of minis. They just take a minute or two longer to melt fully, so keep the heat low and stir patiently until the mixture is completely smooth before removing from heat.
Two things usually cause this. First, the bars may not have chilled long enough. Give them a full two hours in the fridge before slicing. Second, the mixture may not have been pressed firmly enough into the pan. Use the back of a flat measuring cup or a spatula to really compact the bars before they set.
You can get close. Swap the butter for a plant-based alternative like Earth Balance, and use dairy-free white chocolate chips for the drizzle. Standard Oreos are actually dairy free in their ingredients, so the cookie base is fine. Check your marshmallow brand as well, since some contain gelatin but are otherwise dairy free.
They hold their shape best when kept cold. At room temperature they soften and can get sticky, especially in a warm kitchen. If you're serving them at a party, set them out shortly before guests arrive and plan to finish them within a couple of hours. Otherwise, keep them stored in the fridge.
