Toss whole cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies in the slow cooker and 3 simple pantry staples to get a sweet treat so delicious your entire family will be begging for more!

This 4-ingredient slow cooker cookies and cream cake is the kind of dessert I throw together on a busy weeknight when I want something fun but don’t have time to fuss. You literally toss whole cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies into the slow cooker, pour three simple pantry staples on top, and let it do its thing. The cookies soften into a layered, gooey, cake-meets-pudding situation that tastes like a warm cookies and cream sundae. It’s not fancy or traditional, just a cozy, family-pleasing shortcut dessert that feels special with almost no effort.

Serve this cookies and cream cake warm right out of the slow cooker, scooped into bowls. It’s especially good topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to play up the cookies and cream vibe. If you want to stretch it for a crowd, pair it with fresh berries on the side to cut the sweetness a bit. A cup of coffee for the adults or cold milk for the kids makes it feel like a complete treat-night situation.

Servings: 8

30 whole cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (about 1 standard 14–15 oz package)

Lightly coat the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or a thin layer of butter.

Place the whole cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies in a single, snug layer on the bottom of the slow cooker. It’s fine if some overlap slightly or you need to break a couple to cover the bottom, but keep most of them whole and cream-filled as they are.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry chocolate cake mix and the milk until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are okay; you’re just combining everything so there are no big dry pockets.

Slowly pour the cake batter evenly over the layer of whole cookies in the slow cooker, trying to cover all of the cookies so they can soak up the batter as they cook.

Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top of the batter. This helps keep the cake extra moist and gives the finished dessert a rich, almost lava-cake texture.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the top looks set and the edges pull slightly away from the sides. The center will be soft and pudding-like, which is what you want.

Turn off the slow cooker, remove the lid, and let the cake sit for about 10 to 15 minutes to set up a bit. The cookies on the bottom will be very soft and blended into the cake, creating gooey pockets of cookies and cream.

Scoop the warm cookies and cream cake straight from the slow cooker into bowls and serve as-is, or top with ice cream or whipped cream if you’d like.

If you want to switch things up, try using vanilla or white cake mix instead of chocolate for a lighter, more classic cookies and cream flavor. You can also mix in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or white chocolate chips into the batter before pouring it over the cookies for extra melty bits throughout. For a slightly less sweet version, use 1 cup milk plus 1/2 cup water instead of all milk. If you’re prepping ahead, you can layer the cookies in the slow cooker and whisk the dry cake mix with the milk in the morning, then store the batter covered in the fridge until you’re ready to cook; just give it a quick stir before pouring. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave in 20–30 second bursts and are great with a splash of milk poured over the top like a warm brownie sundae. You can also experiment with different cream-filled sandwich cookie flavors—mint, peanut butter, or seasonal varieties all work—just keep them whole and cream-filled so the texture stays true to the original idea.