Weekend Cooking..Happy 100th Birthday Oreo Cookie!

Did you know that the Oreo cookie is 100 years old this year?

"The first Oreo cookie was sold on March 6, 1912 in Hoboken, New Jersey. Now, the delectable cookie is available in more than 100 countries and is the world's top selling biscuit. In markets around the world, Oreo comes in surprising local flavors, like blueberry and green tea ice cream, and fun shapes and forms, like Oreo Minis and Triple Double Oreo. But no matter where in the world you find Oreo, one thing remains right at the heart of milk‟s favorite cookie: the iconic “twist, lick, dunk” ritual that brings people together like no other biscuit can!"

Yes, another first for my New Jersey!
Granted, yes, the actual date was in March, but I think that something this important needs a full year to celebrate. And so do the Oreo people, who set up a huge display in my supermarket recently and were giving out free sample when I was shopping last week. Chocolate filling with chocolate cookies, chocolate filling with vanilla cookies, double stuff, triple stuff, berry filling, mint filling, peanut butter, Heads and Tails...
Oh my, the variety made my brain spin!

And while these are all swell, I am a purist.
My favorite is the regular Oreo.
A lovely cookie. With a tall glass of cold milk.
Twist or don't twist, it's up to you.

But, I am not above using an Oreo or two...or 26...to make an easy, delicious and quick dessert.
 
Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

• 26 Oreos- 16 left whole, and 10 coarsely chopped
• 2 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• zest of one lemon
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 275 F.
Line 12 muffin tins and 4 ramekins (or 16 muffin tins) with paper liners.
Place 1 whole Oreo in the bottom of each lined cup.
Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium. Gradually beat in the sugar and then add lemon zest and vanilla. Pour in the beaten eggs, a little at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and salt.
Remove from mixer and stir in chopped cookies by hand.

Pour the batter into the prepared tins, filling each almost to the top.
Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, 22-25 minutes.
Cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, on a wire rack, then transfer to a plate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

I looked around the internet for a recipe for Oreo cheesecake and found many.
And every one of them is exactly the same. Except for the lemon zest which is not in most but I think is a fine little addition.
You can serve it in the cupcake liner, or remove it for a more classy look, or top it with a bit of whipped cream and a mini-Oreo for that over the top look.

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This is my contribution this to this week's Weekend Cooking.
"Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend."
Be sure to check out the other entries this week. As always, hosted by Beth Fish Reads.

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