Homemade Oreo cookies are just like the iconic cookie, only bigger and better! They are perfect for dunking and you can let your imagination go wild with filling flavors… or put as much filling as you want.
These cookies taste just like the iconic chocolate sandwich cookie we all know and love. They are crunchy, chocolaty and just a bit salty with a lovely vanilla cream filling to hold them all together.
My family has always had a thing for Oreo cookies. Every once in a while my mom would buy a couple of packages of Oreos and an extra gallon of milk and we would have an Oreofest.
We would all dunk to our heart’s content. I loved dunking a whole cookie until it was good and soggy and practically melted in my mouth.
Of course there are the filling scrapers. Or you could be like Little Dude and save the filling from several cookies to make one super stuffed cookie that is savored at the end.
No matter how you choose to eat them, I think most of us agree there is something about them that makes them special. So of course I had to go about making them myself.
How this recipe is different
A lot of recipes for homemade Oreos almost look like whoopie pies. The cookies are too thick and look a bit pillowy.
These cookies do not have that problem. Just like the real deal, these cookies have just enough salt to register on your taste buds. They aren’t too sweet on their own.
When you bite them they crunch and the cream filling is the perfect thing to hold them together and add some extra sugar to the mix. They give you those little black crumbs just like the real deal as well, this is the full experience!
Of course making this Oreo recipe is more work than opening a package, but I think you will find they are worth the effort. They are sure to impress you friends and family, plus you have complete creative freedom!
I didn’t have the right size circle cookie cutter, so I grabbed a biscuit cutter instead. This meant we got to dig into to great big mega Oreos which are of course our new favorite size.
Afterall you can eat just a couple of cookies instead of going through a half a row. The math feels better when it’s all said and done.
The Cookies
The cookie dough is super simple. There are no leavening agents or eggs to make them spread to puff up.
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They are butter based with just enough powdered sugar to counteract the bitter cocoa powder. I used black cocoa powder to get a similar color to the store-bought cookies.
Black cocoa not only gives you the deep color, but it has a milder chocolate flavor. You can find it online or in specialty shops if your grocery store doesn’t carry it.
If you can’t find black cocoa, dutch or dark cocoa powder will work. The color just won’t be quite as deep.
The dough itself is pretty stiff and almost crumbly. Go ahead and form it into a disk and refrigerate it before trying to roll it out.
To keep from getting white flour spots on your dark cookies, use cocoa powder or a mix of flour and cocoa powder on your surface and rolling pin. Then roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thick.
The combination of the chilled dough and thin cookie will help to make a nice crisp cookie. Allow them to cool completely before you add the filling.
The Filling
This filling is essentially a crusting buttercream. It is made on the thicker side so it sets up between the cookies and doesn’t make them soggy.
You can spread it over the cookies or pipe it on. Either way works, so do whatever you are more comfortable with.
The recipe makes enough to put a thin layer of frosting between the cookies, think of it as an original Oreo amount. You can easily make extra frosting if you want to go for double stuff, or even more if you want to go for Mega Stuf!
Of course vanilla is the traditional filling flavor, but you can easily make it your own. Add a splash of peppermint extract for mint chocolate cookies.
Or use peanut butter in place of some of the butter for a peanut butter chocolate celebration. Orange extract, a bit of cocoa powder, or even a splash of coffee extract would be fun to experiment with as well.
Let your heart and taste preferences help you decide what kind of filling to make and how much to add. There is no right or wrong answer.
Storage
These cookie sandwiches are best store at room temperature. Leave them out unwrapped for a day or two for the best crunch.
They will still taste great stored in an airtight container for up to a week, but they will start to get a bit softer. Freeze the components separately for longer storage and assemble when ready to enjoy.
Check out my collection of cookie recipes for more tasty inspiration.
Homemade Oreos
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1⅔ cups unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1½ cups black cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coffee extract
- 2⅓ cups all purpose flour
Creme Filling
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup shortening
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In mixer bowl, beat softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and mix until combined.1⅔ cups unsalted butter, 3 cups powdered sugar
- Add cocoa powder, salt, vanilla and coffee extract. Mix until incorporated.1½ cups black cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon coffee extract
- Stir in flour until a thick dough forms, it will be on the dry side but should come together. Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 15-30 minutes.2⅓ cups all purpose flour
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Roll chilled dough out on a surface dusted with cocoa powder or a mixture of cocoa powder and flour. When the dough is 1/8-thick cut into 3 inch circles.
- Place circles at least 1 inch apart on a nonstick or parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.
- Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie tray before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cookies are fully cooled, make the filling.
Filling
- Cream together the butter and shortening until smooth and creamy.½ cup butter, ½ cup shortening
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla, mix on low speed until combined and then on medium for at least 2 minutes.4 cups powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- This frosting should be thick so it doesn't squish out when you bite the cookie. However, if it needs a little bit more moisture add a teaspoon or two of water or milk and mix again until combined.
- Pipe or spread over half the cookies and top with the other half of the cookies.
- Allow to sit out in a cool place for the filling to set up.
- These cookies are best enjoyed in the few days after being assembled as the cookies will soften with time. However, they can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.
Notes
Video
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Oh how fun is this! I never even thought to make my own Oreos but I absolutely love the idea and they look scrumptious!
It’s definitely more work than buying them, but more fun too!