Surprise-Inside Brownies start with a heat safe recipe that even make shipping chocolate to the desert a possibility! Baked in an individual serving brownie pan, these brownies have a chocolaty crunch outside and a soft and fudge-like interior. The sprinkles are festive, BUT wait until you see the surprise hidden inside.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Eating chocolate may be desirable year round, but shipping chocolate in warm weather (not to mention HOT weather) is a mistake. It’s important to think about how heat can effect melting and spoiling.
Successfully mailing baked goods in the summer months is easy with the recipes using ingredients that are least likely to melt or to spoil. There are dozens of Monday Box recipes that were developed especially for shipping baked goods in hot weather!
Brownies are an ideal way to enjoy melt-free chocolate in the heat. The chocolaty goodness is baked in.
Would you think I was crazy or creative if I told you that I scraped the cream filling out of 20 double stuff Oreos, colored the filling, then piped it back onto the Oreos? Don’t answer yet!
What if I said that the entire process took only 30 minutes? Perhaps I already know your answer.
I admit that even at 30 minutes sounds a little bit crazy, but making your own colored Oreos is so much fun and full of potential uses. Holiday colors. Gender reveal. School colors. The color filled Oreos can be served on their own or hidden inside a brownie as a surprise!
Cookie directions
Surprise-Inside Brownies were created for a 4th of July military care package, but they could be made with any colors appropriate for your occasion. I used Double Stuff Oreos (and the filling of 3 extra cookies) so that I would have plenty of filling to work with.
- Twist apart the cookies and scrape the filling into three small bowls.
- The white filling only needs to be mashed with the back of a spoon until smooth.
- For the blue and the red, a drop of gel food coloring (Americolor Sky Blue or Super Red) is added to the filling and mixed until smooth and evenly colored.
- Transfer each filling into the corner of a separate small sandwich bag. Snip a small piece of the corner off each bag, then pipe alternating rows of frosting back onto an Oreo half and top with the other half, pressing gently to adhere.
I hid the patriotic sandwich cookies inside fudgy (desert-safe) brownies.
This recipe can be prepared in individual portions in a pan with square cups, or in a cupcake pan. The batter also works well in a 9” x 13” pan. Stored at room temperature in an airtight container, Surprise-Inside Brownies will stay chewy for at least 2 weeks.
Brownie directions
- Foil line or coat the pan with non-stick spray.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and espresso powder.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the shortening, sugar, and eggs.
- Stir in the flour mixture.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- If using a 9″ x 13″ pan, spread half of the batter into the pan, then press the cookies into the batter. Top with the remaining batter. Use a spatula or spoon to smooth the surface.
- If using an individual brownie pan, scoop 2 tablespoons of batter into each individual cup, then press a cookie into the center of each cup so that the batter comes up around the edges of the cookie. Top with a tablespoon of batter and smooth to cover completely.
- Bake for 20-28 minutes, depending on the pan being used.
More 4th of July recipes
Make dozens of melt in your mouth cookies in minutes with this Spritz Cookie Recipe with Shortening. Use a cookie press to make cookies in holiday colors and shapes!
Nothing is more patriotic than these crunchy Flag Cookies!
One microwave minute is all you need to make individual servings of Red, White, and Blueberry Mug Cake.
Check out the post about the Patriotic Miliary Care Package that included these brownies and 4th of July Cookies!
Ready to bake? Join the free membership group to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered to your inbox! You can also stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’d love to stay in touch!
Surprise Inside Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ all-purpose flour
- 1 cup baking cocoa I recommend Whole Foods 365 fairly traded brand
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ⅔ cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- 21 chocolate sandwich cookies Newman's Own, Oreos
- Food coloring gel I used Americolor Sky Blue and True Red
- Decorative sugar or sprinkles
Instructions
- TO PREPARE COLOR FILLED OREOS: To make red, white, and blue Oreos, twist apart the cookies and scrape the filling into three small bowls. Mash the white filling with the back of a spoon until smooth. For the blue and the red, add a drop of gel food coloring to the filling and mix until smooth and evenly colored. Transfer each filling into the corner of a separate small sandwich bag. Snip a small piece of the corner off each bag, then pipe alternating rows of frosting back onto an Oreo half and top with the other half, pressing gently to adhere.
- WHEN READY TO BAKE: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prepare a baking pan of your choice. A 12-cup pan should be sprayed with non-stick spray. If you plan to mail an entire pan of brownies in a disposable pan, lightly grease the disposable pan with vegetable shortening. If you plan to remove the brownies from a 9” x 13” pan baking pan ( to wrap whole, to wrap after cutting, or to cut and eat at home), foil line the baking pan, allowing for a little overhang (for easy lifting later) and spray with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the shortening, sugar, and eggs. Beat until light in color and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Gradually add in the flour mixture, until combined.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- FOR A 9” x13” PAN: Spread half of the batter evenly into the pan. Gently press the Oreos into the batter. Top with the remaining batter. Use a spatula or spoon to smooth the surface.
- FOR INDIVIDUAL BROWNIES: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter into each individual cup. Gently press an Oreo into the center of each cup so that the batter comes up around the edges of the Oreo. Top each cookie with a tablespoon of batter and smooth to cover the Oreo completely. The cup will be almost, but not quite, full.
- Bake for 20-28 minutes, depending on the pan being used. The toothpick test doesn’t work very well because of all of the melting chocolate chips. If the top is firm, take it out. Cool completely in the pan.
- Store brownies at room temperature in an airtight container or zip lock bag for at least 2 weeks.
Notes
- If using a disposable pan, make sure to cool completely before wrapping the pan in foil then in plastic wrap.
- Cut brownies or brownies baked in individual cups can be double wrapped in plastic, or wrapped in foil then plastic, before storing in an airtight container or zip lock bag.
Nutrition
Originally published: June 19, 2016. Last Updated: June 19, 2021. Updated for better user experience.
Vera
what kind of pan do you use for the individual brownies?
The Monday Box
Hi, Vera. I have an individual brownie pan that looks like a cupcake pan (which you can also use to make these brownies), but the cups are square instead of round. You can see a photo of it on this post: https://themondaybox.com/2013/04/candy-filled-blondies/
Susan
Yes, I thought you were crazy…at first. Then I saw where you were going with that Oreo icing and I think you’re brilliant! What a fun brownie treat. Congrats, you’re featured this week at the This Is How We Roll Link Party.
The Monday Box
Thanks so much for the feature, Susan! I don’t know about “brilliant” but I definitely like playing with icing 🙂 Surprises often cause smiles. That is what I was going for. 🙂
Miz Helen
We will just love these delicious brownies! Your post is awesome and thanks so much for sharing it with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great day and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
The Monday Box
Thanks, Miz Helen! Thank you for hosting Full Plate Thursday!
April J Harris
What a clever idea, Wendy! I love these surprise inside brownies! They look so delicious too. Scheduled to share on Pinterest and the Hearth and Soul Facebook page. Thank you so much for being a part of Hearth and Soul. Hope to ‘see’ you again this week!
The Monday Box
Thank you, April! These brownies have a patriotic pop of color to their chocolaty goodness. 🙂 Thanks for hosting Hearth and Soul. I always look forward to it! 🙂
Nicole
Your OREOs look great with the red white and blue icing. Thank you for linking up with us at the #HomeMattersParty this week!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Nicole! Thanks for hosting HomeMattersParty!
Amy
All that I can say is that I am super impressed! Sometimes cooking is more about the love of sharing your finished product with your loved ones than the time that you spend preparing the product. Thank you for sharing on Happiness is Homemade link party. Shared and Pinned.
The Monday Box
Thank you, Amy! I think you are so right about the joy of sharing finished baking products! I have fun making things but the real joy comes when you know your efforts made someone else smile. 🙂 Thanks for hosting Happiness is Homemade and thanks for pinning!
Mother of 3
LOL! Sounds like something I would do (and just the defense I’d use too!). They look adorable and I bet they taste amazing. Pinned.
The Monday Box
Thanks, Joanne! These brownies are fun to make and eat! Thanks for pinning!
Sammi Ricke
These are so gorgeous! The perfect patriotic treat. 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Sammi! I had fun turning these into a “surprise” !
Elizabeth @ Guilty Chocoholic Mama
Oh my word, I was just thinking, “Look how deep and dark and delicious these look”–and then saw your mention of using Hershey’s Special Dark. Now that is some right thinking. 😉 #yumbutton #FullPlateThursday
The Monday Box
Thanks, Elizabeth! Currently, I am only using Fair Trade chocolate, due to the child slavery issues with cocoa harvesting. I have found that Whole Foods 365 brand, gives the same deep chocolate color and flavor without any ethical concerns! 🙂
Alexandra
Mmmmm! Brownies are one of my favorites, and this recipe with the surprise inside makes it even more fun to bake (and eat)! Pinning.
The Monday Box
Thanks, Alexandra! Brownies plus oreos are definitely fun to to eat! Thanks for pinning!
Winnie
Beautiful cookies and brownies and I adore the patriotic theme!!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Winnie! Military care packages and patriotic themes definitely go together!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
I LOVE the look of these brownies! What a fun surprise!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
LOVE your beautiful creations 🙂 Simple is often the best no matter how you look at it! Have a lovely weekend!
saltandserenity
If I did this, my children would say, “Mom, you need to get a life.” To which I would respond, “This is my life and it’s great!!”
I love that you took the time to do this. These are just beautiful. I love the addition of espresso powder to the brownie batter. These look deep dark and delicious.
The Monday Box
Thank you, Cindy! Luckily, the time required was short and the results worth it! 🙂 My kids don’t totally get it (the fun part) but they are tolerant. 😉
Ashley
I love that you took the time to make your own colored oreos for these Wendy! I don’t know if I’d have the patience but man, does it look so cool in the final goodie!! These brownies sound wonderful!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Ashley! Though I admit it looks a tad nutty, the process is quick and gives such fun results! 🙂