Birthday Surprise Cookies

Background: These birthday cake cookies are my family’s favorite!  The twist of adding Oreos to a traditional birthday cake cookies recipe is a yummy surprise! The recipe requires you to chill the dough for at least two hours before baking.  If you refrigerate the dough for longer than a few hours, remove it from the refrigerator for 30 minutes before scooping because the dough will be hard.

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spoon & leveled
• 2 ½ cups vanilla boxed cake mix (almost entire bag)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 20 Oreos, crushed into pieces
• 1 cup sprinkles

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cake mix, salt and baking soda.  Set aside.
2. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugars together on medium speed until smooth.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix on high until combined.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the flour mixture in small batches to the wet ingredients and mix on low-medium speed until just combined.  Add the Oreos and sprinkles and mix on low until combined evenly.
4. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.  You don’t want to skip this step!  Chilling your dough will prevent your cookies from spreading too much. 
5. After you’ve chilled your dough, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.
6. I use a cookie scoop to scoop out dough.  Roll the scoops into balls and form them to be taller than they are wide.  Put your dough back into the fridge in between batches.
7. Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.  I bake mine for ten minutes.  They may look slightly undercooked, but they will set as they cool.
8. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Add these Birthday Surprise Cookies to your dessert spread along with Ashlee’s White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies.