Homemade Oreos

These homemade Oreos are so much better than the real thing. Crisp, deeply chocolatey cookies sandwich a filling that’s wildly similar to the classic dunkable cookie. If you’re looking for a homemade cookie that truly resembles the real thing, this is it.

I first published this recipe in 2018 and have since revisited it to make it even more foolproof. A few tweaks (like using confectioners’ sugar instead of granulated sugar) make the dough easier to work with and the cookies even crispier (that added cornstarch works its magic).

The Crisp Chocolate Cookies

Most of the recipes you’ll find for homemade oreos feature chewy chocolate cookies. Which makes no sense to me. That’s just a chocolate sandwich cookie marketed as a homemade oreo. Not it! This recipe is as close to the real deal as possible, and crisp chocolate cookies is the first step.

Making crisp cookies isn’t hard—they actually feature less ingredients than most cookies.

All you need is butter (both softened and melted), confectioners’ sugar, black cocoa powder, salt, an egg yolk, and flour (regular or gluten-free).

Black cocoa is key to achieving that deep color and rich chocolatey flavor. Black cocoa powder is heavily-Dutched and extra-alkalized (which mellows its acidity). I like this brand and just order it online. If you don’t want to buy black cocoa powder, you can use Dutch-processed cocoa powder—just know the cookies won’t be quite as black and will be more mild in cocoa flavor.

The most important part is rolling the dough thin enough so the cookies crisp but don’t burn during baking. A delicate balance that, after many rounds of testing, I finally honed in on.

Then as an optional touch, you can imprint the cookies with a design using a cookie stamp. This is optional, but does evoke that classic Oreo look.

Vanilla Filling

The second component of thees cookies is the filling. Another issue with other homemade oreo recipes is the filling simply doesn’t resemble that of a classic oreo. Most are buttercream adjacent and that’s just not what we’re going for.

After many tests—and many fails—I found an ingredient that achieves that perefectly dry yet melt-in-your-mouth texture that Oreo filling has.

The key ingredient is coconut butter. Coconut butter is not coconut oil. Coconut butter is essentially puréed raw coconut meat. It’s a specialty ingredient that’s really worth seeking out. Generally, it can be hard to find in-store, so I recommend ordering some.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Whisk together the melted butter, black cocoa powder and instant espresso powder; set aside.
2. Next, cream the softened butter and confectioners’ sugar until whipped and creamy. Be patient, it will start off as dry and crumbly, but as it comes together it will smooth out.
3. Add in the cocoa-butter mixture and beat until creamy and whipped.
4. Add in the egg yolk and vanilla and mix to combine.
5. Gradually add in the flour and mix until a dough comes together.
6. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until it’s 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough out into 2-inch rounds and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

7. Bake the cookies for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and lightly press a cookie stamp down on the cookies. Return the cookies to the oven and bake until the edges are set, about 10 more minutes.

8. While the cookies bake and cool, whip up the filling by beating together confectioners’ sugar, coconut butter, softened butter and vanilla. Mix in any added colors or flavors of your choosing.

TIP: coconut butter solidifies at room temperature—nothing a quick 30 seconds in the microwave can’t soften up. Just be sure to remove that lid before popping the jar in the microwave.

9. Roll the filling out between two sheets of parchment paper to 1/4-inch thick. Cut the filling out into 2-inch rounds (same cookie cutter used for the cookies) then sandwich between two cookies.

Flavor the Filling

As-written, the filling is classic vanilla. But feel free to play around with added colors or flavors. For natural-coloring, try adding a dash of turmeric, spirulina or matcha. A drop or two of food coloring also works.

Then for added flavors, I like to blend in ground and sifted freeze dried raspberries or strawberries (pictured) or a dash of mint extract.

Storage & Make Ahead

Stored in an airtight container, homemade Oreos can last up to 1 week.

For longer storage, store baked, but not filled, cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month.

Form filling into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw the filling completely before rolling, cutting, and filling cookies.

This post was sponsored by NuLife Market, as always the thoughts, opinions, recipe, photos, and content are all my own.

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