Cookies

Homemade OREO Cookies Recipe (How to Make Oreo Cookies)

4.54 from 45 votes
My Homemade OREO Cookies recipe will share with you how to make this No.1 sandwich cookies at home with success every time!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.

Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Homemade OREO cookies are so easy and fast to make from scratch. I LOVE THEM and use them in a lot of recipes. And we can make them faster than going to a store! Mine are a bit softer than the originals but they taste amazing. Enjoy!

 


Homemade OREO Cookies Recipe Chocolate cookie sandwich with white vanilla buttercream filling.

Table Of Contents

History of Sandwich Cookies

OREO has been carrying the title of No.1 for sandwich cookies since 1912. But how did the legend start?

In the 1890s, sweets including cookies and cakes were so luxurious hence unknown to most people, reserved exclusively to the wealthy. One local family bakery run by brothers Jacob and Joseph Loose originally hired lawyer Adolphus Green as the General Counsel to unite all bakeries for the collective buying power. However, in 1898, Green merged the 3 largest regional bakeries into the first national conglomerate of its kind- National Biscuit Company, AKA “Nabisco”. Certainly, Green nominated himself the chairman of Nabisco.

The Loose brothers had lost power to their previous General Counsel Green but immediately formed a new baking company – Sunshine Biscuits. Nearly 40 years before Chips Ahoy! chocolate chip cookies’s launch, Loose brothers invented a sweet version of crackers incorporating cocoa. In 1908, a sandwich cookie consisting of two biscuit halves and a decadent layer of vanilla creme filling was born-Hydrox (hydrogen + oxygen) was an instant hit. In 1912, Nabisco debuted OREO Biscuit! Enriched with Hershey’s cocoa and newly formulated creme filling, OREO outsold Hydrox in a year and now produces 42 million cookies in 18 countries per year!

What are Oreo Cookies? What Does the Name Mean?

OREO cookies are sandwich chocolate cookies consisting of two biscuits with a sweet creme filling. The origin of the name “OREO” has never been revealed. Among all the hypotheses, one interesting theory believes that it derives from the French word meaning “gold” which is OREO’s first packaging color.

The food writer Stella Parks proposed that OREO was named from the Latin Oreodaphne, a genus of the laurel family. Because OREO’s original design has a laurel wreath.

Others consider the name a combination of the two “o”s from “chocolate” sandwiching the “re” from “cream”, just like the cookie itself!

Tools You Need :

Homemade OREO Cookies filled with vanilla buttercream frosting

Ingredients For OREO Cookies Recipe:

COOKIE DOUGH:

  • All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is the base and provides the perfect amount of gluten for cookies. You can also use gluten-free flour blend.
  • Granulated sugar: White granulate sugar adds sweetness.
  • Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa:  Also known as dark cocoa powder, is from cocoa beans that have been washed (with alkaline solution of potassium carbonate) to neutralize acidity. It creates OREO’s signature black color.
  • Baking soda: Baking soda is the leavening agent to make cookies rise.
  • Baking powder: Baking powder contains dry acid cream of tartar which is essential to make cookies rise when Dutch-process cocoa lacks the acid.
  • Cold butter: Water content in cold water can evaporate to give cookies a better rise.
  • Eggs: Room temperature large egg.
  • Softened room-temperature butter (frosting): I prefer salted butter for the flavor. Room-temperature butter will not only avoid over-mixing and splitting, but also incorporate loads of air to make the frosting light and smooth. You know your butter is at the right temperature when you push the butter and it makes an indent, but your finger doesn’t easily squish right through. You can also use unsalted butter or shortening.
  • Salt (cookie + frosting): A pinch of salt brings out all the flavors!
  • Vanilla extract (cookie + frosting): Vanilla extract enhances flavors in baking.

How To Make Homemade OREO Cookies:

Cookie Dough:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 325°F (170°C) on convection setting (fan assist). Line 3 baking trays with parchment and set aside.
  • Make the cookie dough: Firstly, in a food processor thoroughly mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder and salt. Secondly, add the butter and pulse until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Followed by egg and continue processing until dough comes together in a ball.
  • Prep dough for baking: Scoop 1 level tablespoon of dough and place on the lined baking sheet about two inches apart. Lastly, flatten down the balls slightly with your hand.
  • Bake for 8 – 10 minutes. Immediately remove from the oven and bang on the counter top to create crinkles on the cookies. Allow to cool on the trays or racks while you make the frosting. The dough will yield about 40 cookies.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  • Using a stand mixer (or electric hand mixer) whisk the butter on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Lower the speed, gradually beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time, followed by the vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 3-4 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.

To Assemble the Homemade Oreo Cookies

  • In a pastry bag with a ½ inch, round tip, pipe 2-3 teaspoons of buttercream 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.

What do Homemade OREO Cookies Taste Like?

OREO cookies have the perfect combination of crunch from chocolate biscuits paired with creaminess from the sweet creme filling. Homemade OREO cookies are a bit softer than the originals but they taste amazing!

Do I Need to Chill the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Before Baking?

You don’t have to chill the dough for this homemade OREO recipe. But aging cookie dough will enhance flavors and texture.

How to Store OREO Cookies?

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can keep refrigerated if the buttercream gets too soft.

FAQs

What’s the difference between natural cocoa powder and Dutch-process cocoa powder?

NATURAL COCOA POWDER is from simply roasted cocoa beans which are acidic and bitter, can be paired with baking SODA or baking POWDER to help baked goods to rise. Because in either situation, there’s acid.

DARK/DUTCH-PROCESSED COCOA is from cocoa beans which have been washed (with alkaline solution of potassium carbonate) to neutralize acidity, always paired with baking POWDER which has dry acid-cream of tartar to help baked goods to rise.

Therefore, when baking soda is the raising agent, dutch-process cocoa can be replaced by natural cocoa but not the other way around because dutch-cocoa is lacking acid to react with baking SODA.

Black cocoa powder does taste different than regular cocoa powder. It is a strong flavor, but the dutch process prevents it from being bitter. You’ll find that it doesn’t taste as “chocolately” as regular cocoa powder.

How do I keep them fresh? How do I stop them from getting soggy?

You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips:

 

Watch The Recipe Video!

Homemade OREO Cookies Recipe (How to Make Oreo Cookies)

4.54 from 45 votes
Learn how to make my Homemade OREO Cookies recipe from scratch with my easy method and additional flavor ideas for that great OREO taste anytime.
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 24 Oreo cookies
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Learn how to make my Homemade OREO Cookies recipe from scratch with my easy method and additional flavor ideas for that great OREO taste anytime.
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 24 Oreo cookies

Ingredients

Oreo Cookie Dough

  • 1 ¼ cups (6 ¼ oz/177 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ cups (10 oz/282 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (2 oz/57 g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • cup (5 oz/142 g/1 ¼ stick) butter, cold
  • 1 large egg

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Instructions

Oreo Cookie Dough

  • Pre-heat the oven to 325°F (170°C) on convection setting (fan assist*). Line 3 baking trays with parchment and set aside.
  • In a food processor thoroughly mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder and salt. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  • Add the egg and continue processing until dough comes together in a ball. This take seconds.
  • Scoop 1 level tablespoon of dough and place on the baking sheet approximately two inches apart. Flatten down the balls slightly with your hand. The dough will yield about 40 cookies.
  • Bake for 8 - 10 minutes. Immediately remove from the oven and bang on the counter top to create crinkles on the cookies. Allow to cool on the trays while you make the frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • Using a stand mixer (or electric hand mixer) whisk the butter on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Lower the speed, gradually beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time, followed by the vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 3-4 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.

To Assemble the Oreo Cookies

  • In a pastry bag with a ½ inch, round tip, pipe 2-3 teaspoons of buttercream 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. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can keep assembled homemade OREO cookies refrigerated if the buttercream gets too soft.

Recipe Notes

*If you use a conventional oven for baking these cookies, they will take longer time compared to this recipe. In this case, start checking them after about 15 minutes.

 

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

119 Comments
most useful
newest oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Yi De Guzman
4 years ago

Hi Gemma! I sincerely believe you are my Internet baking fairy godmother! Thank you for sharing your incredible recipes! You have never let me down. Hugs to you! 💕

Isabelle
Isabelle
5 years ago

Hi! How long can the cookies be store for after baking? And if i were to make the cookies a little smaller, will it affect the baking time? Thank you! 🙂

gingerbreadjeanne
gingerbreadjeanne
5 years ago

SUGAR RUSH with a side of chocolate! Next time I’m craving Oreos I will pull out this recipe. Easy to make. Simple ingredients. Fantastic results! Really indeed Oreo-like flavor and just a wee bit softer. But still yummy. I would add extra sugar to the filling, as the real oreo filling is much stiffer than my ordinary buttercream frosting. A+

Sofia Undead
Sofia Undead
5 years ago

Hi, I can’t find Dutch process cocoa in my country can I use hot chocolate powder?

I love your videos ❤️

Daniyal Khizar
3 years ago

Dear Gemma,
Can I Make This With An Immersion Or Normal Blender?
(I Dont Have A Food Proccesor)

Denise Middleton
Denise Middleton
3 years ago

Hi Gemma I follow and love your recipes normally you write your ingredient amounts in grams as well as cups which is great as cup measures confuse me with different items having various gram measurements but notice this recipe only in cups , would you get able to add grams to your recipe Ingredients. Many thanks Denise

Ching Brown
Ching Brown
5 years ago

Hi Gemma,
I love all your recipes. Could I sub all purpose for white wheat? My son has trouble with white flour.
Hugs,
Ching

Bigger bolder baker
Bigger bolder baker
5 years ago

Hi Gemma, made the Oreo cookies yesterday, I made it wit normal cocoa powder and added 1/4 cup more and I flattened it as soon as it came out of the oven and then I put it back in the oven on 80 degrees Celsius for an hour to crisp and it came out amazing, thanks a million for this recipe!

Payal
Payal
5 years ago

How about eggless

Sumangaliyn
5 years ago

Hi Gemma,

I made these cookies few days back with flax seed powder as egg substitute. The taste was awesome but I want the cookies to be more crispy instead of being soft.

Please help me by suggesting how could I do the same.

I am a vegetarian and I don’t eat eggs.

Thanks
Sumangali.

This Recipe Made By Bold Bakers

7 Images

Shira

Missati

Mariyam Zamani

Sumangaliyn

SunshineSarah

Yi De Guzman

About Us

Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

Weeknight Family Favorites Chapter from the Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day Cookbook

Gemma's
10th Anniversary Cookbook

FREE EMAIL BONUS

 Recipes that have been loved by millions of real bakers!