homemade oreo cookies

It’s almost summer and I should be making refreshing desserts like lemon bars and blackberry ice-cream.

That was the plan…technically.

See, I bought a ton of fresh berries this week and had all intents and purposes to make a refreshing treat, but then I looked in my cupboard and saw this:

Yes, shortening.

I forgot I had this stuff and upon seeing it all fruity desserts were scratched and all I could think about was frosting.

I didn’t want cake or anything heavy but I remembered that shortening was used in the icing for homemade Oreos! Yes!

So, that’s what I made.

I had never made or eaten homemade Oreos so I was kind of excited for this.

I am a HUGE lover of the store bought cookie and I wanted to see if they really did taste the same.

Also, my little brother has been bugging me about sending him something fun so I thought I’d give it a try.

After making them and tasting them over and over again, I can say that they taste SIMILAR, but not identical.

It’s probably because the homemade version uses fresh ingredients and no preservatives and stuff like that.

Like I said, they taste similar to store bought Oreos but not identical and TO ME, not better.

They’re good, yes! But, if I were to choose on the better flavor I would say the Oreos at my local supermarket wins.

I guess that I like and embrace preservatives in certain snack foods? Triglycerides and the like too.

Hey, I  am who I am.

So, that’s my story and conclusion on homemade Oreo cookies. They didn’t rock my world entirely, but I did enjoy them (really, i did!) and am pretty sure the little brother will as well.

______________________________________________________________________________

P.S.--Until yesterday morning I frequently used glass dishes in the oven. Never again. This can happen:

Oven explosion--no fun and even worse to clean up.

Homemade Oreos--adapted from Smitten Kitchen

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 and 1/4 cups of sugar
• 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 and preheat to 375°F.
   
   
2. In a food processor mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. Add the butter and then the egg and continue mixing until dough comes together in a mass. Will be bulky.
   
   
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. Flatten the dough and 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.
   
   

Fried Oreos

Little hugs from Jesus—that’s what Deep Fried Oreos are.

A warm and softened Oreo cookie nestled inside fried batter is one of my FAVORITE desserts.

This weekend I had the strongest urge for this summer time staple (to me) after I flipped through some old college photos of my friend Kourtney and I hanging out at the Jersey Shore.

Kourt and I upside down. ;)

Kourt and I right side up. :)

I’m happy to say that I conquered the craving and made some this weekend!

I love fried Oreos!

I actually like them even better when they are paired with a raspberry lemon puree---yes, raspberry lemon puree. Trust me.

The first time I had this combo was when some friends and I randomly visited the Chip Shop in Brooklyn, NY .   

Since the owner fries EVERYTHING there, I figured I would bring a couple of Oreos with me and let him do his thing.

Well, he fried up my Oreos, but then gave my friends and I some raspberry puree  to dip them in and they were h-e-a-v-e-n-l-y.

Something about the raspberry and chocolate combo made them delicious, and so I of course made some to go with the fried Oreos I made this weekend.

Both items are super easy to make and it seriously took me about 20 minutes from start to finish to make both of them.

If you're not too grossed out yet about the thought of eating fried cookies, give these babies a try!

L-O-V-E

Recipes-

Fried Oreos from Food.com (I halved the recipe) 

• 1 (20 ounce) package Oreo cookies
• 2 cups Bisquick
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups of milk
• 3 teaspoons of oil
• Vegetable oil for frying

1. Blend Bisquick, eggs, milk, and 3 tsp oil until smooth.
2. Preheat your deep fryer to about 375°F (use a thermometer if you wish to deep fry in a pan).
3. Dip the cookies in the batter mixture until totally covered and then place in the hot oil.
4. Keep checking and turn over the cookie when bottom side of Oreo is brown.
5. Keep a close watch because it only takes a short time to brown.
6. Remove cookies and eat warm.

Raspberry Lemon Puree

• About 1/2 cup of frozen raspberries 
•  2 tablespoons of sugar (add more or less depending on taste)
•  1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice 

    1. Pulse frozen raspberries in a food processor blender until fine.
    2. Transfer it to a saucepan and simmer on low for about 2 to 3 minutes
         until it starts looking like liquid
    3. Remove from the saucepan and strain the mixture in a bowl
        to remove all seeds
    4. Once all seeds are removed add the lemon and sugar and refrigerate
         until cold.

Oreo Mint Truffles

This weekend was simple, fun, and easy with the sun shining and friends helping to make it enjoyable.

It helps that I happened to be off today (Monday) so that was a double treat.

Crushed Oreos and Thin Mints

You know what else is simple and easy? Oreo Truffles! 

Oreos mixed with cream cheese and then dipped in chocolate? Yea, I’m all over that.

I first learned of this treat from my college friend Shana-Banana. She mentioned it on her Facebook a long time ago and I just had to try them. So I did--and I love 'em.

I decided to make a quick batch to have on hand for a friend who was visiting, and I’m glad I did! They came out great, especially since I also threw in half a sleeve of Thin Mints in the mix from my gluttonous supply of Girl Scout cookies that I ordered. 

White chocolate bath.

Long story short, if you want a quick, simple, tasty and easy treat, make Oreo Truffles!

I'm off to enjoy the rest of my day off.  :)

Recipe:
Adapted from everywhere and anywhere all over the internet.

• 1 sleeve of Oreo Cookies
• 4oz. Cream Cheese
• 8oz of white chocolate--(you can use more or less--depends on your preference)
• 1/2 a sleeve of Thin Mints (or you can use mint extract or other mint cookies)

1. Crush both Oreos and Thin Mints in a food processor until they make fine crumbs.

2. Mix in softened cream cheese and the mix should feel gooey and doughy in your hands.

3. Form the dough into balls and then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Stick it in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

4. Melt white chocolate or candy melts and dip the oreo truffles in chocolate using a spoon. Shake off the excess chocolate and place back on the parchment lined sheet.

5. Once they are all dipped, place the sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes to let the chocolate set and then-- Enjoy!

Brownie Covered Peppermint Oreos

When I saw these cookies on Picky-Palate last week, I knew I had to make them.

I immediately thought to use some sort of peppermint flavoring to make them taste "Chirstmas-y", so I used Trader Joe's Candy Cane cookies instead of regular Oreos.

These are the BEST! Get them.

After I baked some I brought a batch to my company's Ugly Sweaters and Cookie Contest.

Most everyone seemed to like them which made me happy.

I lost the cookie contest, though.

Another colleague's Molasses cookies won and I honestly thought she deserved it.

I took home like 11 of her cookies for the weekend.  =)

Make sure to completely coat the cookies.

Anyways.

These cookies are SUPER simple to make.

You just make brownie batter, dip Oreos in it, bake in muffin tins,
(any size will work) and voila!

Brownie Covered Oreos! 

These cookies are better the day that they are made--when they're warm and fresh out of the oven. After a couple of days I found them to be too hard/stale if that is possible.

Other than that, I liked them.  :)

**I borrowed my brother's camera to take these pictures and as you can see...eh.**  

LOL,  thanks anyways Che!