When you have a big family like mine, it is easy to feel like you are ALWAYS celebrating birthdays! Because you kind of ARE….. Between both sets of parents, siblings, spouses, and all our kids, there are only 3 months out of the year when we AREN’T celebrating a family birthday! For the longest time, we used to buy gifts for everyone…..well, we stopped doing that a while ago with Jorden’s family, and this year my family finally wised up, too! As my sister said, “At some point, when you are buying someone their 18th workout outfit, it’s time to just be done.” And so we are!
I have to admit….being done with the birthday exchange doesn’t feel quite right to me. And not because I will miss getting the gifts, but because I will miss giving them! Don’t get me wrong – there was definitely something stressful about choosing the right gift for each person (and I’m sure half the time we didn’t choose the right gift anyway!) But I liked the fact that, for one day out of the year, we had to think about one another. We had to say (or write) nice things about one another. We had to really celebrate one another!
This new “no gift” system will take some getting used to….and, truthfully, I am looking for little ways to get around it. Like sticking a card in the mail. Like sneaking my own little presents to them on the side. Or like making them a special birthday treat! First on the list? These Birthday Cake Oreo Blondies. Blondies, cheesecake, Birthday Cake Oreos. Amazingly delicious. Quite possibly the best birthday gift yet!
Birthday Cake Oreo Blondies
2 c. packed brown sugar
2/3 c. butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Topping
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
20 Birthday Cake Golden Oreos, crushed
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan; set aside.
2. Heat brown sugar and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves; stirring constantly. Cool slightly.
3. Stir in eggs and vanilla.
4. Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda and stir to combine.
5. Spread batter in prepared baking pan.
6. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in 2 eggs, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
7. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over blondie mixture.
8. Top with crushed Oreos.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until edges and top are golden brown.
(*Blondie recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. Topping recipe adapted from The Great American Cookie Cookbook.)
Thanks for taking a peek inside my Lemon Tree Dwelling…
I hope you feel right at home!
-Cathy
Kara @ Petals to Picots Crochet says
Oh my! This looks awesome!
Julie Evink says
Seriously?! Did you just make this? I think I’m in love. I know I’m in love. I NEED these now…. my birthday is coming up…good excuse right?!
Jocelyn says
Blonde brownies are one of my weaknesses!!! And with Oreo…I wouldn’t be able to stop eating these 🙂
Jessica @ Barefoot by the Sea says
WOW – these look amazing! This would be a nice gift to get….even though you have the new “no gift” policy and all 😉 YUMMY!
Jessica @ Barefoot by the Sea says
PS – How you cook these masterpieces and manage not to weigh a zillion pounds, I’ll never know!
Betty Daniels says
YUM! Everything you make looks so delicious. ☺
Shannah @ Just Us Four says
Man! This totally makes me wish it was my birthday 😉
Tanya-Lemonsforlulu.com says
Ok, when my birthday comes around in July, I’m coming to YOU! What a fun blondie!
Sarah L. says
These look delish!! My hubby’s bday is coming up…might have to try this!
I just started my new craft blog and I would love for you to follow me back so that we can continue to share ideas! 🙂 http://www.naptimenothings.blogspot.com/
Visiting again,
Sarah@
Naptime Nothings
http://www.naptimenothings.blogspot.com
Cindy says
A card with a nice memory written is always a nice thought. So is a yummy treat like this one!
Lisa says
OMG, this looks amazing! You’re taking so many great desserts and putting them into one!
Maria says
Looks absolutely delicious, that topping sounds amazing!! YUM!!!
Cathy says
These look amazing!
Come party with APIMP!
I would love for you to share and link up at my TGIF Link Party.
The party is open every Thursday night and closes Wednesday’s at midnight.
http://apeekintomyparadise.blogspot.com/2013/05/tgif-link-party-3.html
Hugs, Cathy
awienerdoginthekitchen.com says
Hi Cathy!! I’m not much of a chocolate lover, but I do LOVE me some Birthday Oreos and these look simply spectacular! Just pinned them and know I will have to make them soon. Have a GREAT week!
Ashleys Dandelion Wishes says
I love this recipe! I can never say no to something that involves birthday cake! I would love it if you would come and link this up at my link party
Dandelion Wishes Wednesday. I’m also pinning this 🙂
Meg WW says
Mmmm, I have cake batter blondies before and they were similar but yours look pretty amazing. I am going to have to try them and compare the two recipes!
Kathy Moody says
These look so yummy! Just pinned another one! 🙂 Thanks for sharing with us at A Bouquet of Talent.
Hugs
Kathy
Michelle Hargreaves says
Yum! These look so delicious. I love those birthday cake oreos!
xoxo
Michelle @ Ya Gotta Have a Hobby
Cynthia Landrie says
You always have the best sweets! These blondies look great!
Thank you for sharing at the In and Out of the Kitchen Link party! I always look forward to seeing what you bring to the party.
Cynthia at http://FeedingBIg.com
Sarah Wells says
Yum!! These blondies look great, I have to try them out! I would love for you to share this tasty treat at my Sweet Tooth Tuesdays blog link party. It’s still live and going on today. These would be a great addition to the link-ups. 🙂
http://sarahlynnssweets.blogspot.com/2013/05/sweet-tooth-tuesdays-2.html
Christi says
You are killing me- these look SO good!! I am drooling!
Lydia @ Huckleberry Love says
These look amazing!! I don’t have any birthdays coming up so I think I may just have to make it because it’s Wednesday. 😉 Thanks for sharing at Much Ado About Monday!
Tash TheVelvetMoonBaker says
Oh dear lord these look amazing! I’m dying to gt my hands on some birthday cake oreos but you can’t get them here in Ireland 🙁 thanks for linking up at the Sweet & Savoury Sunday Link Party, hope to see you there again this weekend 😀
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
OMG OMG OMG! These are INSANE! I realllllly kinda want to face plant one.
Lyuba @ Will Cook For Smiles says
These blond bars sound so delicious! Thank you for bringing them to the party 🙂
Jamie Sherman says
Love these blondies! yum – Thanks so much for sharing at last week’s All my Bloggy Friends – Linda and I look forward to seeing what you share this week! 🙂
Orchard Girls says
Wow, these look delicious! I will definitely be trying this soon! Stopping by from your feature at twigg studios.
-Kayla @ http://www.orchardgirls.blogspot.com
Melissa Whitcher says
Thank you for linking up these bars at our SImply Create Link Party! I just wanted to let you know that I am featuring them as part of 17 Delicious Dessert Bars today on the blog.
Melissa
http://www.redflycreations.com/2013/07/17-delicious-dessert-bars.html
Peyton says
Hi! This recipe looks delicious and I am planning on trying it out tomorrow for a friend’s birthday! Quick question though – is the flour all purpose or self rising?
Cathy Trochelman says
Hey Peyton – sorry I couldn’t email you back. You are a “no reply” contact so your email doesn’t come through 🙂 I used all-purpose flour! So fun that you are making them for a friend’s bday…if she likes sweet things, she will LOVE these!! 🙂
Peyton says
Oh sorry, I just created this account so I’m still figuring out how it works! Thanks for answering so quickly. Oh she loves everything sweet, and loves oreos, so I’m sure will be obsessed with these. Plus they are so cute! Thanks so much!! 🙂
Lauryn says
I made these for a friend’s birthday party and they were quickly gobbled up! By the end of the night there was only one left on the plate. I ate it 🙂 fantastic recipe, I shared it with all my girlfriends 🙂