Homemade Oreo Cookies-Isabella's Summer Snacks

As I write this, my hard working husband is huffing and puffing it somewhere along his 110 mile ride for Sunshine Kids in the Tour De Steamboat. I love that I am married to a man who has the stamina and mental discipline to attempt such a thing. If you know Jeremy, you know he's not lolli-gagging along. Rather, he is giving it his all, demanding excellence of himself and pushing a little harder each mile. I am not the only one who greatly admires him for that, although he wouldn't want to know it.

Today the kids and I made homemade Oreo cookies. Isabella has been eagerly awaiting the day we make these and I'm not surprised. Who doesn't love a good Oreo? And, If you're out there, who are you? We decided we would bring a couple to Daddy after he crosses the finish line in a bit to congratulate him on his ride. It's an odd choice, to bring him Oreos since they wouldn't be his first pick (I guess I just answered my last question). But they have sugar and carbs, which will be much needed in his body and the kids are so very excited to give them to him.

Honestly, these are not the easiest snack for kids to make, but I guess that's what I'm there for! They are quick to whip up but you have to bake the cookies in batches and it takes a while. Once they are baked and the filling is made (which is a snap as well) the fun part is filling them, of course. I filled some and the kids filled the others.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

adapted from Retro Desserts

For the cookies:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) at room temperature

1 large egg

for the filling:

1/2 stick butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup shortening, at room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

For the cookies, place the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar in the bowl of a mixer of food processor and pulse or mix a few times to combine. Add the butter and the egg and mix until the dough comes together. Dump out onto a lightly cocoa dusted counter, or pastry mat and roll out to about 1/8 of an inch thick. Cut out with a round cookie cutter as big as you would like. We used one about the size of a real Oreo but any size will do. If you don't have a cookie cutter, use the rim of a glass. Alternately, you can just drop by the teaspoonfuls onto a sheet pan and lightly press down with damp fingers. Bake cookies in batches for 9 minutes. Let them cool on the pans for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

While the cookies bake make the filling. Combine butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment until combined. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on low until combined then turn the mixer up to medium high and beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.

Transfer the filling to a pastry bag with a very wide tip, or a ziplock bag with the end snipped off and pipe about a teaspoon or so of filling onto half the cookies. Top each with another cookie and push down until the filling reaches the sides.

dunk in milk!

Makes 22 cookies

It might seem like there is not enough filling for all the cookies, but trust me there is! Were off to the finish line now!