Homemade Oreos

Here is a case of homemade being way better than storebought. There have been quite a few recipes going around the internet for homemade oreos and I'd always had it on my list (my, how long this list is!) to make them. What better time than at the end of school for the kids' teachers' gifts..?

I have a friend who gets Oreo's straight from the manufacturer from time to time and she says that she's madly in love with these particular packages because the cookies are actually soft. They only seem to harden with time as the sit on the shelves in our grocery stores. Well guess what, these homemade cookies are soft too! They are soft but firm enough to sandwich the thick cream between two of them. They are quite chocolatey without being heavy - maybe not such a good thing, as it's easy to pop 2 or 5 or 7 in one sitting...

So, I pulled up the recipe and got to work. It didn't take long and wasn't difficult at all! The cookies are a cinch to throw together and the cream filling tastes JUST like the real thing.
It's a fun project and kids, young and old, will thank you for them. Just make sure you save this recipe, because if you make them once, you are going to want to make them again... and again.

Homemade Oreos
(Slightly adapted from Retro Desserts: Totally Hip, Updated Classic Desserts from the '40s, '50s, '60s, and '70s, Wayne Harley Brachman)

Cookie:
1 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Dutch processed or regular works)
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 c granulated sugar
1 1/4 sticks (10 T) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature

Cream Filling:
1/2 stick (4 T) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 c (4 T) vegetable shortening
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 t vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350F with the rack in the center of your oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Beat in the butter and then the egg until it forms a consistent dough.
Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet about 2" apart. Use a flat-bottomed cup sprayed with nonstick spray to flatten each of the cookies. Bake the cookies for 9 minutes (they may not look or feel done, but they will set quite a bit as they are cooling).
On to the cream filling! With an electric mixer, beat together the butter and shortening until well combined. Then add the confectioner's sugar slowly and mix on medium until thoroughly blended. Add the vanilla to incorporate. Spoon this filling into a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip such as a Wilton #12.
Once the cookies have completely cooled, pipe a teaspoon-sized bit of filling in the center of half of the cookies. Sandwich with a cream-free half and press down gently and evenly to spread the filling.
Voila! Homemade Oreos! Be a rock star at your next gettogether or party and make these! They are entirely customizable. You can make them oversized or mini and even change the color of the filling or add sprinkles to it for the extra fun factor..!