Homemade Oreo Style Cookies (Print View)
Classic dark cocoa sandwich cookies with a fluffy vanilla cream center, homemade and perfect for dunking.
# What You Need:
→ Chocolate Cookie Dough
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 g)
02 - ¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (70 g)
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ¼ teaspoon salt
06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Vanilla Cream Filling
09 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened (60 g)
10 - ¼ cup vegetable shortening (55 g)
11 - 1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted (180 g)
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine evenly and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a stiff, uniform dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
05 - Roll tablespoon-sized portions of dough into 1-inch balls. Arrange them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each ball slightly using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass dipped in cocoa powder.
06 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are set and slightly firm to the touch. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
07 - In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, vegetable shortening, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt on medium-high speed until the filling is smooth, creamy, and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
08 - Pipe or spread approximately 1 tablespoon of filling onto the flat side of half the cooled cookies. Top each with a second cookie, flat side down, and press gently to distribute the filling evenly toward the edges.
09 - Allow the assembled sandwich cookies to rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes so the filling firms up before serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The dough comes together with pantry staples you probably already have sitting around.
- That first bite of a still slightly warm cookie with cool vanilla cream is genuinely unforgettable.
- You control the sweetness and richness, which means these taste like real food, not factory confections.
02 -
- Do not skip the sifting step for the cocoa powder, because lumps of dry cocoa will create hollow pockets in your cookies that no amount of filling can fix.
- The dough will seem too stiff and crumbly at first, but keep mixing and it will come together into a workable ball.
- Espresso powder added to the dough is a quiet enhancement that makes the chocolate taste deeper without anyone guessing your secret.
03 -
- Chilling the shaped dough balls for 15 minutes before baking prevents excessive spreading and gives you thicker, more satisfying cookies.
- Rolling the finished sandwich cookies in crushed cookies or mini chocolate chips pressed into the exposed filling edge turns them into something truly showstopping.