Homemade Oreo

by Barry Lewis

Ingredients

For the filling

300g icing sugar

90g full fat cream cheese

1tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Extra – for homemade birthday Oreo

100g caster sugar

1tsbp cream

1tsp vanilla extract

Sprinkles

For the cookies

225g butter, softened

225g sugar

Pinch salt

2 eggs

225g whole wheat flour, plus extra if needed, sifted

150g dark cocoa powder (use 150g more flour if making golden ones)

½tsp bicarbonate soda

I’ve always wanted to make homemade Oreo, but there are so many different methods you guys have sent me and flavours on the shelf these days….I wondered what the perfect combination would be and put them to the test, then lost the footage! So, instead I re-created the recipe and put a twist on homemade golden oreo, birthday oreo and the double filling ones, just with a few simple tweaks. Once fully set in an air tight container they are actually even better just like from the shops!

How to make Homemade Oreo

First up make the filling. This gives it time to dry out. Add the icing sugar, salt and vanilla extract to a bowl, add in the cream cheese in thirds, but really mix well in between with a spatula, making sure the cream has fully broken down and absorbed before adding anymore, each time you add more cream cheese it makes the mixture more wet, too wet and it will spill out when building them later. You may not need it all so keep adding until the mixture is smooth, but thickened and still mouldable, like a putty texture ideally, if too wet add more icing sugar, leave to one side.

If you want to make the birthday cake oreo filling, warm some sugar in a pan, stirring until dissolved under a low flame, add the cream and vanilla and stir together off the heat, until smooth. Add a tbsp of this mixture in with the cream cheese filling and stir well, it will change the colour slightly. Again leave to cool.

For the cookies, grab an electric whisk and beat together the butter with the sat and sugar, get it nice and softened and light gold in colour. Add in the eggs, whisking both just in, then sieve in the flour, cocoa powder (if using, remember golden ones, you’ll need more flour) and bicarbonate soda then whisk again, this will start to thicken and create a dough, so flour the surface and knead it with your hands towards the end, if still a bit sticky add a bit more flour gradually. Wrap the dough in cling film and press it down to flatten it, this will help it chill quicker if flatter and help with rolling out the dough. Place in the freezer for 20minutes or the fridge for 50 minutes.

Roll out the dough onto a sheet of baking parchment that has been floured, keep the rolling pin floured and cut the dough into smaller pieces if you wish to make it easier to work with, keep the rest in the fridge to keep it firm. Try to roll it to ¼ inch in thickness, we don’t want them to puff up too much, thin helps make the snap and keeps them authentic. Use a shot glass to cut out biscuit rounds and place on baking parchment, making a design with a stamp or a fork if you want to give it some personality, then place back in the fridge. Chilling helps keep the shape and any designs you print into them. Repeat with remaining dough, keeping all the cutouts in the fridge.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 140fan/160c/325f or equivalent for approx 12-13 minutes, don’t let them burn, but do push them a little more than other cookies so that you get that snap, rather than a soft centre, they firm up as they cool though. Check them a few times whilst they bake if you like, then place on a wire rack to cool.

Wedge 2 cookies with the filling pressing down lightly to join them. For golden oreo use the non-cocoa powder biscuits, and for the Birthday ones, use the caramel infused filling and add sprinkles before wedging them together. Remove any excess from the sides if necessary but if you have done the filling the right consistency and the cookies are fully cooled, you should be fine.

Store in an airtight container, giving time for them to settle overnight makes them taste (in my opinion) even better and more authentic as the filling has settled! Good luck folks.