Cookies ‘n’ Cream Brownies

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Butter and flour a 9″ round cake pan, or 9″ square, whichever you prefer, knocking out excess flour.

Melt chocolate and 1/3 cup butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave for 30 second heat bursts at a time, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat 1/2 cup cream cheese until soft. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla and eggs, adding one at a time and beating well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Set aside.

In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt and then add it to chocolate mixture, beating just until batter is combined. Stir in chopped cookie chunks from the first 6 cookies. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool completely before icing.

For icing, beat 1/4 cup cream cheese with 1/4 cup butter. Beat in icing sugar until smooth. Stir in vanilla and half of the cookie chunks. Spread the icing over the cooled brownies, sprinkle with remaining cookie chunks and chill for an hour before serving.