Homespun Oreos

This recipe was making the rounds a couple of months back.

She had a version, as did she and I knew I would have to give them a whirl. The result?

Decent.

I guess they were pretty "oreo-esque" with their hard wafers and semi-sweet filling. But I think they would be even better with a semi-soft cookie. From what I hear, that would be more of a "Whoopie Pie" than an Oreo, but I digress.
We ended up eating some of these ourselves, and brought some to a get-together with our friends. I think the reviews were generally good, but you know, an oreo is an oreo. It's hard to improve on a something that great.

I would maybe consider trying out a softer cookie, as well as adding a little peppermint flavoring next time. It WAS however, a great reason to whip out my new favorite mixer and break in that baby.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [depending on how sweet you like your cookies]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

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