Homemade Oreo Cookies

Are you an Oreo fan? I am.

I grew up loving Oreo and love dunking them in milk. My grandma is often amazed by the way I enjoyed my Oreo and she often referred Oreo as my favourite aw piah (meaning black biscuit in Hokkien).

What is Oreo? For those who don't know the famous Oreo, it is a cookie consisting of two very dark chocolate cookies sandwiched with a layer of smooth and sweet white filling.

Can you believe that Oreo has been more than 100 years old? Over all these years, I must say that Oreo has evolved into many kinds. So far, I have seen the minis, chocolate, strawberry, peanut butter blueberry, double cream and even the gold ones. When I was in Japan, I have tasted the soft kind of Oreo and it tastes like whoopie pie.

When I received a d.line linzer cookies cutter set from Donaldson, I wasn't thinking of using it to bake linzer cookies. Instead, I was thinking of using it to bake Oreo cookies! Please pardon me for my crazy idea.

Why Oreo?

Why bake Oreo if you can buy Oreo???

True!

... but if I can bake Oreo that tastes exactly like Oreo. Impressive?

... but what if we referred the homemade Oreo as the Oreo that are made with love? Impressive?

I have seen a few homemade Oreo recipes at here, here, here, the Bouchon Bakery Cookbook by Thomas Keller and Flour Cookbook by Joanne Chang. Although their Oreos are made with love, they are also made with too many alternative styles.

Some are filled with creamy and fluffy buttercream... Nay! Not Oreo enough!

Some are made with either puffy cookies, shortbread or cake-like texture... Nay! Not Oreo enough!

I want a recipe that can make Oreo looking and tasting just like Oreo... and glad that I have found this recipe from Erren's Kitchen...

My homemade Oreo Cookies

When I received this d.line linzer cookies cutter set from Donaldson, I wasn't thinking of using it to bake linzer cookies. Instead, I was thinking of using it to bake Oreo cookies!
If you wish to use this to bake linzer cookies, I have a fantastic Linzer cookies recipe at here.

To start, I'm mixing the cookie dough.

And, I've added lots of cocoa powder in it,

While the cookie dough is resting, I had a closer look at the cutter.
I can create 8 different designs from this cutter.

To use, simply slide one of the pattern into the plunging cutter as shown in this picture.

Place the cutter on the rolled dough. Cut and lift.
And, push the plunger to release the dough onto the prepared tray.

Using the cutter with the plunger, you can get these three variations.

Now, I see!!!
Obviously, the plunger is used as a quick release of the cookie dough and not to create an emboss design on it!
Silly me!!! LOL!

This is why I said that these Oreo are made with love :)

 Instead of fluffy buttercream, I'm using rolled fondant to sandwich my Oreo.

Ta dah!

These are my Oreo that made with love!

Impressive!
I reckon and my son felt the same!

Do you know that 6th March is Oreo Cookies Day? I didn't know that that until I have seen Louise's calendar for March 2015. Shame shame... I must be a lousy Oreo fan!

Me a lousy Oreo fan? Not entirely. I like to defend myself a little for the fact that I can make homemade Oreo cookies as close as the commercially made one. Instinctively, I knew that they are going to be impressive because these cookies are made with lots of cocoa powder and you will see what I mean...

Here's the recipe that I have mostly adapted from Erren's Kitchen

Makes 20 x 6 cm Oreo cookies
80g cocoa powder good quality cocoa powder, preferably Dutch processed cocoa powder like Valrhona
95g all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
125g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
100g caster sugar
50g light brown sugar
1 large egg yolk (15g)
1/2 large egg white (20g)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
about 150g rolling fondant icing

Combine cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar until combined. Add the egg yolk, egg white and vanilla. Mix until combined.

Sift in the dry ingredients and mix until it forms a dough.

Wrap dough with cling wrap and place it in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hr.

To shape, place dough on a piece of lightly floured baking paper and roll it with a lightly floured rolling pin until it is about 0.5cm thick.

Using a 6 cm fluted round cookie cutter like this d.line linzer cookies cutter that I have used, cut the dough into about circles. Any excessive dough scraps can be gathered and re-chilled before rolling it again. You should have about 40 circles in total.

Place the cookies about 5 cm apart on baking trays that are lined with baking paper.

Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / 150°C fan forced. Bake the cookies for 15 mins or until set.

Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the tray for 5 mins. Then, transfer them onto wire racks to cool completely.

To assemble:

Using a rolling pin, roll fondant on a non-stick surface or a layer of baking paper until it is about 0.5 cm thick. Use a 5 cum round cutter and cut the rolled fondant into circles.

Place one fondant circle on one cookie and place another cookie on top of the fondant. Store the cookies in airtight container for at least a day for the fondant to set and secure itself onto the cookies.

Note: The original recipe suggests brushing the cookies with milk to secure the fondant but I prefer to omit this step as the fondant will secure itself on its own if you placed the cookies in an airtight container. I like to keep the cookies as dry as possible so that they can stay crunchy and fresh like the commercial Oreo.

Happy Baking
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