There is nothing quite as good as Homemade Oreo cookies and milk.
I have this thing about always thinking up ideas. I see something and off my mind goes and up pops an idea. When I told my friend Elizabeth Scott about my Homemade Oreo cookie idea she set a plan to visit and to be one of my taste tester… LOL.
Making cookies from scratch is never hard. It just takes a little bit of time and assembly. The recipe for the base of the Homemade Oreo cookies came from Mark Bittman’s cookbook, “The Basics” one of my favorites go to cookbooks. The rest is of my making.
Homemade Oreo Cookies
Ingredients:
Butter Cookies:
- 1 Cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1 Cup Sugar
- ½ Cup Unsweetened black or extra dark cocoa powder
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus some for dusting)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoons milk (add more if needed)
Filling:
- ½ cup (one stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Directions:
Line two baking sheet with Silpat or butter lightly and set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together the cup of softened butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Then add the egg and vanilla and beat until thoroughly blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture a little at a time until blended. Beat for a few seconds more, and then pinch the dough to see if it holds together easily.
If not, add a tablespoon of milk a little at a time, beating and stopping to pinch the dough after each addition. Divide the dough in half. Shape each piece into a log about 2 inches in diameter by rolling it on a flat surface. Wrap the roll in wax paper, parchment, or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. (Or wrap the dough tightly in plastic, and you can freeze it indefinitely for later use).
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut each roll crosswise with a chef’s knife into slices of around ¼ to 1/8 inch thick. Put the cookies on the prepared cookie sheets leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and set in the center. Cool for about 2 minutes on the baking sheet; then transfer the cookies to a rack with a spatula to finish cooling.
While the raw cookie dough is chilling, prepare the cookie filling. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and shortening together until fluffy. Beat in the confectioners sugar a little at a time until then add the vanilla until all is combined.
To assemble: Top one cookie with 1 level teaspoon (or so) of filling. Place a second cookie on top to make sandwiches. Then eat. 🙂
Variations:
- For a Chocolate Filling, halve the filling recipe mixture. In one half, mix in 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder until thoroughly combined.
- For a plain or vanilla cookie just omit the cocoa, add ¼ cup of all-purpose flour and follow the directions above for the cookies.
Notes: Watch the cookies to ensure you don’t overbake them. I started with 8 minutes and added to the time as needed. You can use regular vanilla extract in the icing if you don’t have the clear. I just like how it keeps the filling color white.
These Homemade Oreo cookies are outrageously good. I sent most of them home with Elizabeth with another care package delivered to my neighbor. I did keep some for myself but, oh my, are these a dangerous thing to have around without supervision. I fear I would have eaten them all without much thought to my waistline… LOL.
I love the fact that you can make the cookie dough ahead of time, freeze it and make them whenever you like. The filling is a snap to make, and it’s superb. These Homemade Oreo cookies would make an excellent gift for any cookie lover or someone special.
Time to eat…
If you enjoyed this check out the Super Easy Peanut Butter Cookies, Homemade Brownie Mix, and Pretzel Pecan Candy Treats.