One word: Yum! I love classic Oreo cookies, but making them yourself, resulting in a slightly soft chocolate wafer with creamy filling, is even more spectacular. Plus it’s very impressive. We’ve all seen Oreo’s, but when you offer unsuspecting loved ones this homemade version, no one will be able to say no, and they’ll really enjoy this unique version of one of their favorite childhood cookies.
A few notes on baking: The cookies will look small on your baking sheet. Out of fear, I used heaping teaspoons for my first batch, but they will spread out to the perfect size while baking, so trust the recipe and go with the teaspoon. To flatten, I moistened the bottom of my tablespoon and gently pressed the dough down. Then I used my fingers to gently form a more perfect circle.
Homemade Oreos
Retro Desserts, Wayne Brachman via 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 cup sugar
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
1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375 degrees.
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 2 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 2-3 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.
Homemade Oreos
