Homemade “Oreo” Cookies
Who doesn’t love an Oreo cookie? Okay, I know there are a few who don’t. Personally? A few times over my child-rearing years, I have disappeared into the bathroom with a package of Oreos and a glass of milk, to soak in a hot bubble bath with a good book. If you can’t leave home, this is my ultimate relaxation technique. If you can get them to stop pounding on the bathroom door – “MOM!”
Me: Where is your dad?
Kid: Sitting here watching TV.
Me: Then go harass him.
Kid: Mo-om!
Oldest child: You guys shut up and leave her alone for five minutes!
Me (thinking silently): Blessed be for the child who is finally old enough to get it!
These little black circles of wonder have gotten quite expensive! And, there are always times when you either didn’t get any, or you go to find the package empty or gone.
You can whip up your own pretty easily. Tyipically, you need to chill the dough before baking, but if it were an emergency Oreo situation – I could find a way to get them done quick – like rolling them into little balls and flattening them right onto the parchment paper or cookie sheet! On a rack, they cool pretty quick and the filling whips together in just a few minutes. It could be done. If you test this theory, let me know how long it takes. (If you made these when no one is around, you could hide them in the freezer)
I played with these a few times, tweaking the recipe until I think they seriously taste like an Oreo. Most of the ones I have seen are way too sweet. And they don’t use dark cocoa. Oreo’s have black cocoa. While I didn’t go so far as to order black cocoa (I would have to get it online) I do use Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa. It makes them pretty black and very Oreo-like. The chocolate flavor is deeper. And delicious-er. Huh?
I also bake them longer than the other recipes called for, because hey, if you’re gonna make an Oreo, make an Oreo, not a cake. However, if you like the cakesters better, you could just bake these for 5-6 minutes for a soft cookie. If you really wanted to.
- Cookie:
- 1¼ cups (155 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa or black cocoa
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) room-temperature butter
- 1 large egg
- For the filling:
- ¼ cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature butter
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, 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. You could do this by hand, but the machine is quicker and smoother.
- You could put these in balls and place them on the parchment, flatten them, then bake right away. I rolled them into 2 logs the diameter of an Oreo and refrigerated them until solid, then sliced and baked them. For a crispy cookie, bake 10-12 minutes. Watch closely so they don't scorch. For a softer cookie, bake for 6-8 minutes, Take the cookie sheet out and wait about a minute. Slide the cookies off onto a baking rack to cool.
- To make the filling, blend the butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
- To assemble the cookies, frost the flat side of one cookie, then place another cookie on top, flat side down. This goes much quicker if you pipe the filling on. If you have a pastry bag, you could use a round tip and all that. But, if you don't have all that stuff, just put the filling in a small plastic zipper bag, snip a corner off to about ¼-1/2 inch opening and squeeze a blob onto your cookie, about a teaspoon sized blob. Top with another cookie of the same size. LIghtly press until filling comes close to the edges of the cookies. Repeat with remaining cookies.