These Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Bars are one for the books! Fudge-y rich brownies are topped with chopped Oreo® cookies that have been smothered in hot fudge. Then they get topped with Cookies & Cream ice cream and we add a layer of whipped topping with a few more crushed Oreos for good measure — more is more with this dessert!
Try some of our other popular ice cream cakes — this Oreo Ice Cream Cake (no brownies), or these Brownie Ice Cream Bars (with Samoa Cookies).
Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Cake
In an attempt to make the ultimate ice cream cake for my husband’s birthday, I combined all his favorite desserts into one show-stopping treat. It was so memorable that he now requests it every year!
Brownies, Oreos, hot fudge, ice cream, and whipped cream — who can resist?!
Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Cake Layers
Start by making fudge brownies:
We begin with a boxed mix for this recipe. Brownie mixes are tasty and convenient, especially since the goal is for this dessert to be quick and easy. If you want to make your brownies from scratch, use your favorite brownie recipe in place of the mix in this recipe. (Just make sure it fills a 9×13-inch pan.)
My personal favorite mix for this Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Cake: Betty Crocker’s Fudge Brownie Mix®. There are different versions of this mix, so make sure to get the mix that will fit a 9×13-inch pan. Any brownie mix will work, as long as it’s intended for the larger pan (not an 8×8 or 9×9 pan). As far as homemade goes, I do have this delicious Gluten-Free Brownie recipe on my site that can be used in place of the boxed mix (just leave off the frosting).
Oreo Cookies:
While the brownies are baking, coarsely chop the Oreos. The brownies are ever so slightly under-baked so the chopped Oreos can be pressed in and adhere nicely to the brownies. To ensure Oreos end up in every bite, be sure to press the cookies in one even layer (as opposed to just scattering them on top).
Hot Fudge:
Once the cookies are in place, we spread a jar of hot fudge on top. This takes a bit of patience! I recommend warming the fudge first in the microwave and then adding large dollops all over the top of the Oreos. Use the back of a large spoon to gently coax the fudge into one even layer.
Cookies & Cream Ice Cream:
The next layer on this Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Cake is the actual ice cream! Use your favorite cookies and cream ice cream for this layer. Not sure where to start? The Washington Post has taken care of the testing for you. Tillamook® is a favorite of ours (not sponsored).
Whipped topping:
Finally, we top this Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Cake with whipped topping. You can certainly make your own (how to make whipped cream) or just use a container of thawed, frozen whipped topping. Once everything is set, feel free to add some leftover crushed Oreos.
Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Cake Tips
- Make sure to keep the bars in the freezer as much as possible while making them. If the ice cream gets too soft and melty, it tends to turn icy when re-frozen.
- Under-bake the brownies ever so slightly. Since they’ll be frozen, they firm up and get quite hard; I’ve found if the brownies bake the full time indicated on the package, they’re too hard in these bars (especially contrasting with the soft ice cream and hot fudge toppings).
- Try some fun flavor variations. Get creative with the ice cream you add to this Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Cake — instead of cookies and cream, try vanilla bean, cookie dough, or even chocolate!
Quick Tips For Serving
- Line the pan with parchment paper for easy cake removal and serving. Leave a parchment paper overhang to pull the bars from the pan and then cut them into bars.
- For cleaner and easier slicing, run the knife under hot water and then wipe off with a towel between slices.
- Use a very sharp knife — they cut so much easier!
- Allow Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Cake to stand for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before cutting, so it’s slightly easier to cut into.
Storage
- Store leftovers in the freezer in an air tight container for up to 2 months.
More Ice Cream Treats:
- Ice Cream Pie (or this Grasshopper Pie version)
- Churro Ice Cream Sandwiches with vanilla bean ice cream
- Ice Cream Sandwich Cake with actual ice cream sandwiches
- Gelato two flavors (chocolate and Stracciatella)
- Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bars with a cookie dough crust
Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Bars
Equipment
- Baking pan 9 x 13-inch
Ingredients
- 1 (18.4-ounce) package fudge brownie mix fully prepared, see note 1
- 27 regular Oreos divided
- 1 (11.75-ounce) container hot fudge topping
- 1 (48-ounce) container cookies and cream ice cream
- 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping completely thawed
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang for easy removal. Set aside. Preheat the oven according to brownie package directions.
- Prepare the brownies according to the package directions. Bake the brownies according to package directions, but slightly under-bake the brownies by 3 minutes. The brownies should be set, but soft, so they'll cut nicely when frozen. Remove brownies from the oven and allow them to cool for about 20 minutes.
- Coarsely chop all but 3 Oreos. I cut each cookie into 4 even pieces. Gently press the chopped cookies in one even layer on top of the brownies.
- Warm the hot fudge for 30 seconds, then drizzle dollops over the cookies. Gently use the back of a spoon to spread the fudge into an even layer. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the freezer and scoop large portions of ice cream over the hot fudge layer. Use a spatula to gently press and smooth the ice cream into an even layer.
- Freeze for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
- Spread completely thawed whipped topping evenly over the ice cream and, if desired, garnish with the 3 remaining Oreos. Cover bars and return to the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Allow the bars to sit for about 5 minutes to soften slightly before cutting. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift them from the pan. Run a sharp knife under hot water and wipe it dry between slices. Cover and return any leftovers to the freezer right away.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Chelsea! How long did you have to leave this in the freezer for? I am thinking about making it for father’s day but have limited time so wanted to check. Thanks!
I’d say at least 6-8 hours, it really depends on how melty the ice cream gets and how cold your freezer is 🙂 I hope that helps!
My daughter wants this “cake” for her birthday, and pinned it to her birthday board on Pinterest. Before reading your post, I thought I might layer this in a spring form pan and then coat in whipped cream and sprinkles to give it a more festive look. When you made it this way, did you have a brownie bottom, oreo, fudge, ice-cream middle and then another brownie on top, or did you layer it a different way?
Hey Cassie! I actually did it the first way — brownie bottom, oreo, fudge, ice cream, and whipped topping. Hope that helps!
OMG, this looks amazing! I have a huge family party coming up, so I will definitely be making this! My only question is that do the oreos become soft after putting the hot fudge topping? Or will they stay hard, because they are put in the freezer?
I don’t know how helpful this answer is, but kind of both. They aren’t like soggy since they are frozen, but they aren’t super hard like eating an oreo plain would be.
after freezing the cake.. is the brownie layer completely frozen and is it hard to cut through?
Nope! It does well even after being frozen. I wouldn’t leave it in the freezer longer than a 2 days though because I could see it getting pretty hard after that.
Can you keep brownies in pan and just add the rest of ingredients? If not then when you take brownies out of pan, how do you keep everything together so it doesn’t melt. Also how would you cover this to put in freezer?
Yes absolutely keep the brownies in the pan. When I say remove – I mean from the oven. Once the brownies are cooled and topped with everything I cover the 9 x 13 pan with tin foil and place it in the freezer. It freezes in the pan like that and then you can cut into bars once everything is frozen and return any leftovers to the freezer.
I made this for a 4th of July party today. Everyone loved it! Thank you for the recipe.
So great to hear! Thanks for the comment Shannon 🙂
These bars look fabulous! I’m a huge chocolate and oreo lover and I TOTALLY understand trying to “make it better” haha so guilty of that! It clearly worked here though!
Haha my husband says the same thing! But I totally love how you decked out these brownies – they look crazy amazing!! Pinning:)
You created a beautiful monster!!! This is incredible!!
Thank you so much Zainab!
Brilliant! I need these in my life.