Meili's: Homemade Oreos

Holy cow..is this really a new blog post? OMG it is! I think its been like what? A year since my last post..ugh my bad. To be quite honest, blogging is not my cup of tea, or box of chocolate to be more fitting. It's really hard for me to be consistent with my posts. I go on these runs where I'll post once or even twice a day...then hit a dry spell. Hence the moldy blog you see here. Well, hopefully I can put my mits back on for good this time and keep you a little more updated.

On to the reason your here, my baking! I was invited to a little Sunday get together last night; a little football, friends, and of course, good food. My buddy asked if I would make something delicious to bring. If you know me at all, you know I live for the instant gratification of baking, couldn't pass that up. I decided I wanted to make a couple different kinds of cookies; something to please everyone (or their taste buds anyway). I have been eyeballing this homemade Oreo recipe for far too long, it was the perfect opportunity. Yeowza! These things are unbelievable! Don't blame me for the 5lb increase on your scale, you were for-warned. These guys are really simple to make, and in my opinion, FAR better than a regular oreo! But, don't take my word for it, try them yourself!

Homemade Oreos
Adapted from My Baking Addiction

Ingredients
For the chocolate cookie:
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 1/2 cups 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

Method
Preheat to 375°F.

In a bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue mixing until dough comes together in a mass.

Take rounded tablespoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. Slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.

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.

To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip(you can use a zip lock bag as well, just cut a slit from one corner) pipe tablespoon-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. If you find the cream isn't extending enough to the edges, work the cream with the back of a spoon towards the edges first, then "sandwich" cookies together and press.