homemade oreos

I saw this recipe over at Smitten Kitchen, as I'm sure many others have, too. Who can resist it, especially after looking at her pictures?

It sparkles like a night sky

The dough comes together quickly, either in a food processor or by using a blender: pulse flour and dry ingredients a few times, add in butter; pulse. Add egg to bind ingredients together and pulse until a dough forms, exactly what you aren't supposed to do when making a pie dough, and which I thoroughly enjoyed doing here.

After the dough is ready you can immediately proceed with shaping little balls and placing them on a cookie sheet. I thought I made them tiny enough, but these spread quite a bit -- more than I was expecting. Something should have tipped me off when I had a cookie count totaling only 22-23 finished cookies; apparently my brain was off duty.

Instead of traditionally sized knock off Oreos, what I got was a regular cookie size and the filling didn't spread out entirely, either. Next time, and there will be a next time, I will get it right.

By the way, the filling is incredibly similar to Oreo filling in that it's thick, sweet but not toothache-inducing, and not sticky. The easiest way to handle it is by using a pastry bag or a large plastic bag with a 1/2-inch opening, don't bother with a decorating tip.

Probably one of the most fun cookies I've made in a long time, and a nice variation on a normal drop cookie thanks to the filling! If the cookie part had been crisper, I think these would have reminded me of Oreos more than simply a chocolate sandwich cookie, though that's not to say I didn't enjoy these at all. Also, had these been Oreo-size I'd have had the pleasure of popping a few more in my mouth at one go than I can now. (Not a problem... *adds cookies to calender*)

Simply put, these are quick to make and would make a fun activity with a group of friends or kids, and the fact that you're making your own version, a healthier version at that (and by healthy I mean no additives), of an iconic favorite makes it all the more fun.

*Would make a perfect snackable in anyone's lunch pack*

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homemade oreos
Adapted from Retro Desserts, Wayne Brachman, found on Smitten Kitchen

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

for the chocolate wafers ~
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

for the filling ~
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

directions ~

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.


2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.


3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.


4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.


5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.