Oreo Tiramisu at the Table

This rich and silky Oreo Tiramisu is the stuff dreams are made of! Layered with luscious Oreo cookies and velvety mascarpone cream, it’s a decadent twist on the classic Italian dessert that’s reliable for entertaining at dinner parties or for serving up at any special occasion.

The history of Oreos

Can you believe that Oreos have been around for over 100 years?! “Milk’s go-to cookie” was first launched in March of 1912, and the cookies looked pretty much the same as they do now. Interestingly enough, the Oreo was a knockoff of a popular cookie called Hydrox made by the Sunshine company.

Even though Oreo was not the original black-and-white cookie, it became the most popular. After a century of production, Oreos have pretty much stayed the same! While there are tons of varieties and sizes, the original cookie recipe has remained unchanged. Oreos notoriously have just 11 ingredients!

Are Oreos vegan?

The most interesting thing about Oreos is that they are vegan! Can you believe that Oreos, a cookie meant to go with milk, are made without any animal products?! It’s true. The cream filling is not actually made from cream! However, their factories do handle dairy products so there is an advisory for anyone with a severe dairy allergy due to potential cross-contamination during production.

And surprisingly enough, the reason Oreos are vegan has nothing to do with appealing to the plant-based or dairy-free communities.

In the late 90s, Oreo’s first competitor Hydrox made a comeback in the cookie industry. At the time, Oreo used lard to bind the “cream” filling and Hydrox did not. As a result, Hydrox cookies were able to get Kosher certification and heavily appealed to the Jewish communities in the US. In an effort to compete, Oreo swapped out lard for a plant-based fat, and shortly thereafter Hydrox went out of business.

What is tiramisu?

Tiramisu is a classic silky dessert that is rich and almost savory! It is an Italian dessert that calls for layers of whipped mascarpone (called zabaglione), espresso-soaked ladyfinger cookies, and cocoa powder. The Italian words “Tirami Su” actually mean pick me up! We love this translation because it is the reliable name to describe this dessert!

Our version of tiramisu involves our go-to cookie – Oreos! We find that replacing the ladyfingers with Oreos makes tiramisu so tasty. The Oreo cookies soak up the coffee so well and the cream filling makes it all the more sweet!

two jars of Oreo tiramisu with a spoon taking a scoop from one

How to make our Oreo tiramisu

Add egg yolks and sugar to a bowl to mix. You can use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer for this!
Beat the egg yolks and sugar together at high speed until the mixture is very thick. This should take about 5 minutes. You are looking for a light cream color and a loose texture that can be spooned into ribbons!
Once you get the right texture, lower the speed of the mixer and add in the mascarpone cheese followed by the coffee and vanilla extract.
Separately, but also using an electric or stand mixer, whip heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks.
Add the whipped cream to the egg yolk mixture. You can either fold it in with a spatula or whisk at a low speed. Don’t go overboard with mixing – you just want it to be silky! This is your zabaglione cream!
In a wide-rimmed bowl, add coffee. Dip each Oreo cookie in the coffee and arrange them flat across the bottom of a baking dish. You want there to be as few gaps as possible, so feel free to cut the cookies to fill the space.
Next, add about one-third of your zabaglione cream. Add another layer of coffee-dipped Oreos. Repeat this step.
Finish off the tiramisu with a final top layer of zabaglione cream.
Refrigerate for at least eight hours before serving. We recommend letting it chill overnight for the finest texture!
Dust cocoa powder over the top right before serving!

Common Questions about Oreo Tiramisu

Can I use other cookies instead of Oreos?

While Oreos are our go-to choice, you can experiment with other chocolate cookies, chocolate chip cookies, or other varieties of Oreos.

How long should I chill the tiramisu?

Chill the tiramisu for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the dessert to set.

Can I make Oreo tiramisu ahead of time?

Yes, you can make Oreo tiramisu ahead of time. It’s actually better when it’s had time to chill and the flavors have had a chance to develop.

Can I freeze Oreo tiramisu?

While technically you could freeze this dish, we don’t recommend it. The cookies and the zabaglione cream are unlikely to have the same texture when thawed.

How to store Oreo tiramisu

Since this recipe works finest chilled, it stores very well! However, because of the zabaglione cream, it does not store for quite as long as some of our other recipes.

You will want to store any leftover tiramisu in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to 3 days after the day that you assemble it. You can always dust it with fresh cocoa powder when you’re ready to eat, or top it with whipped cream!

a spoon dipping into a jar of Oreo tiramisu

the Ayyem kitchenServings: 12 servings

Prep: 10 mins
Chill Time: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 10 mins

Oreo cookies dipped in coffee and layered with a zabaglione cream. Email

Ingredients

12 extra large egg yolks room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup espresso or strong black coffee cold
2 cups cold heavy cream
36-42 Oreo Cookies
1 cup espresso or strong coffee for dipping room temperature
unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

Instructions

In a bowl of an electric mixer or stand mixer add egg yolks and sugar. Beat on high speed until very thick, approximately 5-6 minutes. Mixture will be light in color and fall down in ribbons. Lower the speed and add mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract and coffee.12 extra large egg yolks, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, 1/4 cup espresso or strong black coffee
In a separate bowl beat heavy cream until stiff peaks. Add to the egg yolk mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined and silky.2 cups cold heavy cream
In a shallow bowl or wide mug add coffee. Dip each cookie in coffee and arrange in a 11×8 baking dish. You may have to cut some cookies to cover the gaps. Add 1/3rd of the zabaglione cream. Repeat. You should have three layers of cookies and ending with the zabaglione.36-42 Oreo Cookies, 1 cup espresso or strong coffee for dipping
Refrigerate for at least eight hours, preferably overnight. Before serving, dust with a nice thick layer of cocoa powder.unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting