Recipe

The Best Cold-Weather Cookies

By Grace Wetsel at Emory University

When winter rolls around, the weather gets cold, and the days get darker and shorter, all I want to do is curl up under a pile of fuzzy blankets with a cup of hot cocoa, a plate of warm cookies, and a good Hallmark movie. Turning my college apartment into the ideal winter home-y feeling has involved a lot of decorating and even more baking, but this recipe is what finally put the cherry on top. Chocolate chip cookies were absolutely a winter staple in my house growing up, and when my college town presented a cold, dreary week filled with Zoom classes and stress right before midterms, I knew I had to bring out my absolute favorite treat. These cookies are so easy to make, and both the dough and the finished product are absolutely addictive. This recipe has been handed down in my family for years on pieces of scratch paper covered in flour and vanilla, but I knew I had to add my own twist before sharing it online with the world - seeing as the whole plate of cookies was gone within 48 hours of them coming out of the oven, I'd say I succeeded. So, without further ado, here is the absolute best winter treat to get you through the cold days and maybe even finals season. 

Chocolate-Chip Oreo Cookies

  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 18 mins
  • Total Time: 33 mins
  • Servings: 12
Ingredients
  • 2 sticks salted butter room temperature
  • 3/4 cups white granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1-2 teaspoons vanilla to taste
  • 2 cups all purpose flour sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1-2 teaspoons salt to taste
  • 12-20 Oreos depending on how many cookies you make
  • chocolate chips to taste but I usually use 1/2 - 3/4 cups

Grace Wetsel

Step 1

preheat the oven to 350° and grease two baking sheets

Step 2

combine softened butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and well-combined

Grace Wetsel

Step 3

add vanilla and eggs to the sugar mixture, making sure that all ingredients are thoroughly combined

Grace Wetsel

Step 4

in a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. mix well.

Grace Wetsel

Step 5

put the contents of the dry ingredients bowl into the wet ingredients bowl, folding in until all flour is integrated

Grace Wetsel

Step 6

beat the mixture until smooth, and do a taste test to determine if you want to add more salt or vanilla (I always add more of both)

Grace Wetsel

Step 7

add chocolate chips and set batter aside

Step 8

space Oreos out evenly on the cookie sheet, leaving space between (I usually do two rows of three)

Grace Wetsel

Step 9

place a ball of cookie dough on top of each Oreo, making sure that the Oreo is fully covered

Grace Wetsel

Step 10

place the baking sheets into the oven, and let cook for 12 minutes

Step 11

after 12 minutes, check on the cookies (they will likely need a few more minutes). The dough on top of the Oreo will cook slower, so base cooking time on the edges of the cookie. They should be golden brown

Step 12

remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for three minutes before using a spatula to transfer cookies to a plate

Grace Wetsel

Step 13

let cool and enjoy! (store cookies in a tupperware container or ziploc bag to keep fresh)

Grace Wetsel