Every time I take the kids grocery shopping with me, we inevitably arrive at the same conversation. “Mom! Can we get these cookies?” My response never varies: “No. I make cookies. I am not buying cookies. I can make better at home.” I’m sure the other patrons roll their eyes, annoyed by my brazen boasting of my mad kitchen skills. But it’s true: homemade trumps store-bought, pre-packaged cookies. Always.
These are no different. I saw them on smitten kitchen many, many moons ago. While they’ve been on the to-do list for a while, they kept getting knocked further down the queue by other, more-pressing recipes. I wish I hadn’t waited so long.
They’re not the same as Oreos, but that’s a good thing. Because Oreos are kind of weird anyway. They seem more like a chemistry experiment than food, with their freakishly crunchy cookie-like exteriors and strangely-textured middles. These cookies, however, are food at its finest: wholesome-ish with the addition of whole wheat pastry flour, and full of flavor. No, they won’t make good bomb shelter rations, but that’s okay. I prefer my cookies free of preservatives and ingredients I can’t pronounce anyway.
Homemade Oreos
adapted from smitten kitchen
makes about 20 sandwich cookies
Cookies
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup vanilla sugar
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp (10 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and sugar on low speed until well-mixed. Add the butter and egg and mix until the ingredients all come together in a mound. Using a small cookie scoop, drop mounds of dough onto the parchment-lined cookie sheets, pressing down with your fingers slightly. Bake one pan at a time on the middle rack of the oven for 9 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time to bake evenly. Let sit on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Filling
- 1/4 cup Spectrum organic shortening
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the shortening and butter until smooth. Gradually add the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract. Mix until light and fluffy. With a butter knife or a pastry bag fitted with a large tip, apply filling to the flat side of one cookie, topping with the flat side of another cookie to make a sandwich. I ended up with 20, but the original recipe estimated 25-30 sandwich cookies. They should keep at room temperature, stored in an air-tight container, for up to one week.
You are right! Homemade is always better 🙂 These cookies look so much better than oreo 🙂 I think it’s time I made some at home 🙂
What are you waiting for? Get in that kitchen! 🙂
I do love oreos … but your homemade version sound just fantastic!
LOVE these homemade Oreo cookies! Congrats, you won my giveaway for the Whole Family Cookbook. Please e-mail me your address so I can have it shipped 🙂
Woohoo! Thanks! 🙂
I don’t know about these…I only believe in making food that makes for good bomb shelter rations 🙂 No, they look divine!
Yum! I’ve wanted to try these for a while. However, I love freezing my Oreos and soaking them in milk–I wonder how these cookies would do with that?
I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. Most cookies freeze well. You’ll have to let me know if you try it. 🙂
My kids would absolutely love it if I made Homemade Oreos! They look wonderful!
Can I get a HUGE glass of milk now? YUM!!
Oreos are the one store bought cookie we always have on hand. I’ve made homemade before, but they didn’t look nearly as yummy as yours! I think I need to try them again 🙂
just saw these on tastespotting. congrats on that. lately they are soooo picky with my stuff but i digress…congrats to YOU!
the recipe…stellar! omg these look so good!
and my dear friend marla commented above me. new to your blog, ill be back!
Thank you so much! Yup, Tastespotting is rather picky. Keep trying and you’ll get on there! And I hope to see you back again! 🙂
Oh I’ve been on…it’s just you never know what they’re gonna take! FG just took a smoothie of mine but TS shot down the same pic. Go figure. lol 🙂
and omg i just realized i have that cake plate you have! and in pink too! tj maxx about 3 mos ago is when/where I got it 🙂
Yeah, I think my acceptance rate on TS is around 50%. You just never know. Always funny when FG accepts and they don’t, though.
Do you have the pale pink or hot pink? I wanted to pick up the bigger size with hot pink ribbon but I have nowhere to put it. Gotta love TJ Maxx!
I have this one in pink, it’s small
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/04/no-bake-vanilla-cake-batter-chocolate-truffles.html
then i have this in black
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/03/no-bake-toffee-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-bites.html
and i actually havent used my blue one yet! i almost have but whatever i plated it with, wasnt looking right so it’s still an unused piece 🙂
I actually got them at marshalls, not tj maxx, in san diego. and they still have them!
Nice selection! 🙂 And recipes, too–love them!
I’ve had this same smitten kitchen recipe in my keeper pile for for-ever! Your pictures are so lovely, I think I’m going to need to whip up a batch this weekend!!
Yum! This is sure to be a kid pleaser, I will have to give these a try soon. My son adores Oreos, I personally think if you need to dunk a cookie in milk to make the texture more appetizing there’s something wrong with it. haha!
Yay! Another Oreo recipe to try. A while ago I made Flour Bakery Oreos and Thomas Keller Oreos: the TKOs were closer to the original Oreo butJoanne Chang’s were really good too.
If you let them sit for a couple of hours after assembly, they meld together nicely. Sort of like when I made the Oatmeal Creme Pie cookie knock-offs.