Fall cookie season is my favorite baking season and these spooky Oreo fluffernutter cookies are the recipe I am most excited about this October. A soft, chewy peanut butter Oreo cookie dough with a whole marshmallow tucked inside so when you bite into it you get this gooey, stretchy marshmallow center that is completely unexpected and completely irresistible. Two candy eyes pressed into the top while the cookies are still warm so the marshmallow acts as the perfect glue holding them in place. They look adorable, they taste incredible, and they are the Halloween cookie that makes everyone at the party stop and stare before they reach for one.
The fluffernutter combination of peanut butter and marshmallow is one of those classic flavor pairings that never gets old and tucking a whole marshmallow into the center of a peanut butter Oreo cookie dough is genuinely one of the best ideas I have had in the kitchen in a long time. The Oreo pieces in the dough add little pockets of chocolate cookie crunch throughout and the whole thing comes together into something that tastes like a peanut butter cup, a s’more, and a fluffernutter sandwich all at once. It is a lot of good things happening simultaneously and every single one of them works.
There are a few technique details that make the difference between a perfect cookie and a sticky situation and they are worth knowing before you start. Cover the marshmallow completely with cookie dough before it goes in the oven. If any marshmallow is exposed on the bottom it will melt onto the pan and turn into something close to glue that is nearly impossible to remove. A little showing on top is completely fine but the bottom needs to be fully sealed. Freeze the dough balls for a minimum of thirty minutes or refrigerate for at least an hour before baking. Cold dough is what keeps these from spreading too much in the oven and maintains that thick, soft, bakery style shape. And use a silicone baking mat or Silpat on your sheet pan if you have one because marshmallow fluff simply cannot stick to it the way it can to parchment and it makes cleanup so much easier.
wo more tips that take these from good to completely professional looking. The second the cookies come out of the oven use a round cookie cutter or mason jar lid to circle around each cookie and scoot it into a perfect round shape. This reshapes any cookies that spread unevenly and also helps the marshmallow lift slightly off the pan before it has a chance to harden and stick. Then press your candy eyes in immediately while everything is still warm and the marshmallow on top is still soft enough to act as adhesive. Thirty seconds too long and the eyes will not stick. Work fast, move through the whole tray quickly, and you will have the most adorable batch of Halloween cookies you have ever made. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- The marshmallow center is a complete surprise in the best possible way โ every bite has that gooey stretchy marshmallow pull that makes these completely unlike any other cookie you have made
- The candy eyes make these instantly festive and adorable without any decorating skill required โ just press and they stick perfectly to the warm marshmallow
- The peanut butter Oreo dough is incredibly flavorful on its own and the marshmallow center takes it somewhere that tastes like a peanut butter cup, a s’more, and a fluffernutter all at once
- These are the Halloween cookie that stands out on any cookie tray and gets talked about by everyone who tries one
Key Ingredients:
- Peanut butter: The base of the cookie dough and the ingredient that makes these taste like a fluffernutter. Use creamy peanut butter rather than natural for the best texture since natural peanut butter can make the dough too oily and cause spreading
- Oreos: Crushed and folded into the dough for little pockets of chocolate cookie crunch throughout every bite. Regular Oreos work perfectly but Halloween Oreos with orange filling would be such a fun seasonal swap
- Marshmallows: One large marshmallow tucked into the center of each cookie is the whole magic of this recipe. It melts slightly during baking into a gooey center and stays soft as the cookie cools
- Candy eyes: Pressed in immediately after the cookies come out of the oven while the marshmallow is still warm and soft enough to act as adhesive. Work quickly because you have about thirty seconds before it sets
- Butter: Softened to room temperature for the creamiest, most cohesive dough. Cold butter will not cream properly and the dough will not come together the right way
Tips for Success:
- Freeze the portioned dough balls for a minimum of thirty minutes or refrigerate for at least an hour before baking. This is the single most important step for cookies that stay thick and do not spread flat in the oven
- Make absolutely sure the bottom of each dough ball is completely sealed over the marshmallow before it goes in the oven. Any marshmallow exposed on the bottom will melt onto the pan and become nearly impossible to remove
- Use a silicone baking mat or Silpat on your sheet pan for the easiest release. Marshmallow simply cannot stick to it the way it can to parchment or a bare pan
- The second the cookies come out of the oven use a round cookie cutter or mason jar lid to circle each cookie and nudge it back into a perfect round shape. This also helps lift the marshmallow slightly off the pan before it hardens and sticks
Storage:
Store spooky Oreo fluffernutter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. The marshmallow center stays soft and gooey for the first day and firms up slightly after that but the cookie stays chewy and delicious throughout. Do not stack them directly on top of each other without a sheet of parchment between layers or the candy eyes may stick to the cookies below. These also freeze well for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature for about thirty minutes before serving.
FAQ:
Why do I need to freeze the dough before baking?
Cold dough spreads much more slowly in the oven which is what keeps these cookies thick, tall, and perfectly shaped instead of flat and thin. The marshmallow inside also needs the dough to be cold and firm enough to contain it during baking. Thirty minutes in the freezer or an hour in the fridge is the minimum and longer is always better if you have the time.
What if my marshmallow leaks out during baking?
A small amount of marshmallow peeking out from the top of the cookie is completely fine and actually looks really cool when it puffs up golden and toasted. What you want to avoid is any marshmallow exposed on the bottom of the dough ball before baking. That is what causes sticking. If you see any gaps on the bottom, pinch them closed before the cookie goes on the pan.
Can I make these without candy eyes?
Absolutely. Without the eyes these are just incredible peanut butter Oreo marshmallow stuffed cookies which is still a completely wonderful thing to be. You can also use other Halloween decorations pressed into the warm marshmallow top like Halloween sprinkles, mini M&Ms in Halloween colors, or a drizzle of orange colored white chocolate once they cool.
Spooky Oreo Fluffernutter Cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- ยพ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
Dry Ingredients:
- 2ยฝ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ยฝ tsp salt
- 1 cup crushed oreos
- 24 marshmallows
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars together on medium high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add peanut butter, eggs, yolk and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.
- Crush Oreos into medium to large chunks in a ziplock bag.
- Fold Oreos into dough with a spatula.
- Using a 2 Tb cookie scoop, scoop a ball of dough and flatten it slightly.
- Add a marshmallow to the center and wrap the dough around the marshmallow covering it completely. (make sure there are no marshmallow bits sticking out! a little bit at the top is okay but add more dough if you need to seal any spots up)
- Repeat with the rest of the dough and freeze dough balls for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350โ.
- Place 5 dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or my recommendation, a silicone or silpat mat.
- Bake for 10-12 min until the edges are golden brown.
- Press candy eyes into each cookie immediately out of the oven and use a circle cookie cutter or mason jar lid to shape cookies. (this will also help keep the marshmallow from sticking to the pan if any leaked out.)
- Cool for 3-4 min on the pan before carefully transferring to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
- Enjoy and store in an airtight container for up to one week.
Comments +