oreos
Homemade Oreos -- chocolate and cream have never been pressed together to form such a classic, chocolatey, addictive, milk-necessitating marriage.These sandwich cookies taste just like the iconic version...and then some.I used to think that making a homemade version of a storebrand cookie was a waste of time, especially something like Oreos, which I love just as they are.In fact, I don't exactly know why I tried out this recipe the first time.But I'm glad I did. They were worth it.
On Day Six of the biggest snow-in Tulsa's ever seen, we made cookies.Julia threw everything into the food processor and Jack ate a pork chop. And a banana. And a little orange. And some Cocoa Puffs.I'm all about a nutritionally well-rounded snack.
The cookies are extremely easy to whip up.
The only drawback is making the little cookie balls and flattening them out on the pans. It's a little time-consuming.
And these toddlers can only take so much kitchen time.
This was another recipe I snagged from the Smitten Kitchen site. Per the blogger's suggestion, I shaved off about 1/2 cup of sugar from the chocolate wafer recipe.The result -- a cookie with a chocolate-to-sugar-to-salt ratio that paired perfectly with the sweet vanilla filling.
The wafers cool into crunchy chocolate rounds.The cream is perfect -- thick and smooth. It truly tastes just like the vanilla filling in the original version.
These were actually dangerous to have in the house.I made a full batch (for no apparent reason) and now they sit there, beckoning.Along with too much snow and a whole lot of Spongebob, these cookies wreaked havoc on our little house.But the kids love them. And I love them.Maybe I'll try others. Like Twinkies -- my all-time favorite store-bought snack...of all time.Until then, I just need a glass of milk and about five of these babies.
Homemade Oreosadapted from Retro Desserts, Wayne Brachman, via Smitten KitchenNote: Although I included the original recipe for the filling, I only made half and found that it filled all but three cookies. I have not yet experimented with the filling (because I love it as is), but I imagine the flavoring possibilities are endless -- mint, peanut butter, butterscotch. I'm sure all would work wonderfully with the versatile chocolate wafers.Chocolate wafers:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa (I used regular Hershey's cocoa, but will try Hershey's Special Dark next time)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or slightly less than 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt)
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
Cream 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
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.In a food processor, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar and pulse on low until well-mixed. While pulsing, add butter and then the egg. Pulse until dough comes together into a large mass.Using a teaspoon, form small balls of cookie batter and place two inches apart on baking sheets. Flatten the dough balls slightly and evenly with your palm.Bake for 9 minutes, rotating half-way through. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets.For the cream, combine butter and shortening. Beat on medium speed until well-blended, about 1 minute. Slowly beat in the sugar and vanilla until combined, then beat on high for about 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.To make the sandwich cookies, place a teaspoon of the cream in the center of one cookie. Place another cookie over the cream and lightly press the cookie together until cream spreads evenly between the two wafers.Serve with a big glass of milk.