My kids ask for these every Friday night. Just 3 ingredients for these individual foil packets that come out warm and gooey.
These slow cooker 3-ingredient cookies and cream cakes are the kind of little treat that makes a Friday night feel special without turning the whole kitchen upside down. I started making them when my grandkids were small and impatient, always asking for something warm and gooey after supper. Instead of heating up the oven, I began tucking these single-serve foil packets down into the slow cooker. They remind me of the old campfire hobo packets we used to make at church picnics, just dressed up with chocolate sandwich cookies and a bit of cream. Everything melts and softens together into a warm, spoonable cake that tastes like the inside of a cookies-and-cream sundae. With just three pantry ingredients and almost no cleanup, it’s a practical little recipe that fits right into a busy, down-to-earth Midwestern kitchen.
Serve these warm right out of the foil packets, nestled in shallow bowls to catch any drips. A small scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped topping on the side turns them into a real Friday-night dessert, but they’re plenty rich on their own. A glass of cold milk, hot coffee, or cocoa goes nicely with the chocolate and cream. If you’re feeding a crowd of kids, line the table with a vinyl tablecloth and let everyone open their own packet at the same time—it feels a bit like unwrapping a present. For adults, you can garnish with a few extra cookie crumbs on top for a pretty finish.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Cookies and Cream Cakes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
24 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo), divided 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
Line the inside of a large slow cooker with a single layer of crumpled, then gently flattened, aluminum foil or place a heat-safe rack or ring of crumpled foil on the bottom. This keeps the individual packets slightly lifted so heat can circulate and helps prevent scorching.
Tear off 6 squares of aluminum foil, each about 10 to 12 inches long. Set them aside on the counter; these will be your individual dessert packets.
Place 18 of the chocolate sandwich cookies in a sturdy zipper bag. Seal the bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy mug until you have coarse crumbs—some small chunks are fine. You can also pulse them a few times in a food processor if you prefer.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and heavy whipping cream until smooth and well combined. The mixture will be thick and pourable, like a loose custard base.
Add the crushed cookies to the cream mixture and fold gently with a spatula until the crumbs are evenly distributed. The mixture will look speckled and slightly chunky from the cookies.
Lay out the foil squares. Divide the cookies-and-cream mixture evenly among the 6 pieces of foil, spooning it into the center of each square. It will spread a bit as it cooks, so keep it mounded in the middle.
Bring the sides of each foil square up over the filling and fold them together to seal, then roll or crimp the ends to make snug, leak-resistant packets. Leave a little room inside each packet for the mixture to bubble and puff as it cooks; don’t wrap it too tightly against the filling.
Arrange the sealed foil packets in a single layer in the slow cooker. If they don’t all fit flat, you can stagger them slightly, but avoid stacking directly on top of each other so they cook more evenly.
Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook the packets on LOW for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on HIGH for about 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the mixtures inside are hot, thickened, and spoonably soft. The texture will be like a very moist pudding cake rather than a firm brownie.
About 10 minutes before serving, roughly crush the remaining 6 chocolate sandwich cookies into chunky crumbs. You’ll use these as a topping for a bit of crunch and extra chocolate flavor.
Turn off the slow cooker and carefully lift out the packets with tongs or a spatula—they will be hot and may release some steam when opened. Place each packet on a plate or in a shallow bowl.
Open each packet carefully, folding back the foil to make a little bowl. Sprinkle the warm, gooey cakes with the reserved crushed cookie crumbs, dividing them evenly among the packets. Serve immediately with spoons, adding ice cream or whipped topping if you like.
Variations & Tips
For a slightly lighter version, you can swap the heavy cream for half-and-half; the texture will be a bit looser but still rich and comforting. If you don’t have sweetened condensed milk, you can use one can of evaporated milk whisked with 3/4 cup granulated sugar, though the result won’t be quite as thick or caramel-like. Try different sandwich cookie flavors—mint, peanut butter, or birthday cake varieties all work nicely and give each packet its own personality. For a deeper chocolate flavor, stir 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder into the cream and condensed milk before adding the cookies (this keeps you at three ingredients by simply choosing chocolate sandwich cookies, cocoa, and cream if you wish to tinker). If you prefer a firmer, more cake-like texture, let the packets sit with the lid off for 10 to 15 minutes after cooking so they can set slightly. To make smaller treats for younger children or a larger crowd, prepare 8 to 10 smaller foil packets and shorten the cooking time by about 15 minutes, checking one packet to be sure it’s hot and thickened. Leftovers can be cooled, sealed in their foil, and refrigerated; rewarm in the slow cooker on LOW or in a low oven until heated through.
