:: Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas Goodies 2010 ::
Making your own Oreos is fun and delicious. Making your own Holiday Oreos is even better! What is it that makes these Oreos festive? The substitution of peppermint extract and addition of crushed candy canes to the cream filling. It’s an extra special touch which adds some more flavor and a tiny bit of crunch.
These cookies were inspired by these delicious goodies below. If you happen to have a Trader Joe’s nearby, lucky you! The nearest one to me is over an hour away. I think these cookies would make amazing Oreo Truffles, by the way!
Begin by making the chocolate cookies. The cookies themselves are pretty yummy on their own.
As with most cookie recipes, begin by beating together the sugar and butter. Then, add the egg and beat until smooth again.
Next, add in the rest of the cookie ingredients and beat until just mixed.
Scoop the dough out into small balls, about 1 tablespoon apiece. I use a small cookie scoop for most of the cookie recipes that I make, just to keep them nice and uniform. Place them on a greased cookie sheet a few inches apart, and flatten slightly before baking. If you are making the cookie sandwiches, you will want to make sure you have an even number of cookies.
They’ll be slightly puffy when they come out of the oven, but after they cool on the sheet for awhile, they will be crunchier and less puffy.
After the cookies have cooled, put together the filling. To make these “Holiday”, I like to add crushed candy canes and substitute peppermint extract for the usual vanilla. If you don’t have peppermint extract on hand (like me!), you can just use vanilla, but the mint flavor won’t be near as strong.
To get that extra crunch, crush anywhere from 2 to 4 candy canes, depending on how much crunch you want. What you see below is about 2 candy canes worth.
Mix together the butter and shortening first. After that’s beaten well, add in the extract and powered sugar. If you have access to clear vanilla extract, that will help the filling stay a brighter white. Add the crushed candy canes after the powdered sugar if you want that extra candy crunch.
To assemble the cookies, line them up with the bottoms up. Place a ball of filling on a cookie and press the another on top. If you are concerned about getting the same amount of filling in each cookie sandwich, you can do them all at once, assembly line style.
Store the cookies in an airtight container.
Homemade Holiday Oreos
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Chocolate cookies
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream filling
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup shortening
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla or peppermint extract
2 to 4 candy canes, crushed (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter and sugar and mix until just blended. Drop by small, rounded spoonfuls on greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly before baking 8 to 9 minutes. Let cool on sheets for about 3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
To make cream filling, beat together butter and shortening. Gradually add powdered sugar and extract. Beat on high for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Mix in candy cane pieces (if using).
To assemble cookies, place a ball of cream in center of one cookie. Place another cookie on top and lightly press down to work filling evenly to outsides of cookie. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 20 to 25 sandwich cookies.
