Homemade Oreos

How can you go wrong with homemade Oreos? Heck, how can you go wrong with store-bought Oreos? Oreos are one of those things that I just love. Can't get enough of them. But only if they are accompanied by a tall glass of milk. Without the milk, it's just not the same. I still like them, but nowhere near in the same way.

When I first spotted this recipe almost a year ago, I knew I had to try it, I just hadn't found the right reason to try it. I decided this month to make it for book club. I love bringing treats to book club, and I think for the most part, everyone enjoys them, although I know that some of them probably curse me for bringing temptation to the table. Oh well, everything in moderation, right? Except when you're watching Real Housewives on Bravo with a plate full of homemade Oreos and a glass of milk. Ooh, sounds like heaven.

The wafers were ridiculously easy to put together, and I had them all baked up within 45 minutes of turning my oven on. They smelled wonderful! I wanted desperately to eat one, for taste testing purposes you know, but I had exactly an even number of cookies, so I didn't want to mess with that.

Piping on the frosting was also relatively easy, and only took me ten minutes or so. So...in theory...55 minutes of work for homemade Oreos? Well, let me tell you, they're totally worth it. And it's quite possible that I may never be able to enjoy a store-bought Oreo again. They're that good.

And just so you know, I tinted the frosting pink because some of us (myself included) are participating in a breast cancer walk this weekend, and the theme for all of the food at Book Club was breast cancer awareness month. Festive, right?

Homemade Oreos
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Note from Smitten Kitchen: Let’s talk about the sugar for a minute, shall we? This is a sweet cookie. A good, sweet cookie. Yet, if you think of an actual Oreos, the wafers are fairly un-sweet and actually on the slightly salty side, which contrasts with the super-sweetness of the filling bringing harmony, happiness, yada yada. If you want your cookie closer to that original, you can take out a full half-cup of the sugar.

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 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]
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°F.
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 two 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 to 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.

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