There’s something magical about biting into a homemade Oreo cookie—crisp, chocolatey wafers sandwiching a creamy, velvety filling. This recipe brings that iconic treat to your kitchen with a rich, indulgent flavor and a texture that’s perfectly balanced between crunchy and smooth.
With just under an hour of prep and a quick bake time of 9 minutes, you’ll have a batch of 40 cookies ready to share or savor. The dough chills for an hour, ensuring each cookie holds its shape beautifully while delivering that satisfying snap with every bite.
These cookies are a decadent delight, with deep cocoa notes and a filling that’s sweet but not overpowering. Each bite offers a contrast of textures—firm yet tender wafers paired with a luscious, buttery center. Perfect for gatherings or a cozy treat, they’re sure to impress with their homemade charm. Plus, at just 140 calories per cookie, you can indulge without guilt. Whether you’re a baking novice or a seasoned pro, this recipe is straightforward and rewarding, delivering cookies that taste even better than the store-bought classic.
Ingredients for Homemade Oreo Cookies
- For the Cookie Shells:
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature preferred)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cups (67 g) black cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- For the Filling:
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup (45 g) vegetable shortening (see note for substitution options)
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar using an electric mixer until well combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, stirring until fully incorporated.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a cohesive dough forms.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts, shape each into a 1-inch thick disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Working with one disk of dough at a time, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛-1/16 inch (0.2 cm) thickness. Use a spatula to loosen the dough periodically to prevent sticking.
- For a decorative pattern, press a clean, grid-patterned cooling rack gently into the dough, rotate, and press again. Alternatively, use an embossed rolling pin or skip the design.
- Cut out circles using a 1 ¾-inch (4.5 cm) cookie cutter and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Re-roll and cut any dough scraps to maximize yield.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets before filling.
- Prepare the Filling: In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the softened butter and shortening using an electric mixer.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth and well combined.
- Stir in the clear vanilla extract and salt until fully incorporated.
- Assemble the Cookies: Pipe or spread a thin layer of filling onto the flat side of a cooled cookie. Sandwich with another cookie, flat side down.
- Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Serve and enjoy!
Creative Variations to Spice Up Your Oreos
Want to put a twist on your homemade Oreos? Try adding 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the filling for a refreshing minty flavor. For a fruity twist, mix in 1-2 tablespoons of freeze-dried strawberry powder to the filling. If you’re feeling adventurous, dip the assembled cookies in melted dark or white chocolate for an extra indulgent treat!
Perfect Pairings: Serving Suggestions
These homemade Oreos are delicious on their own, but they pair wonderfully with a glass of cold milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a fun dessert platter, serve them alongside fresh berries or a drizzle of caramel sauce. They also make a great addition to a cookie gift box for friends and family!
Storage Tips to Keep Your Cookies Fresh
Store your homemade Oreos in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the unfilled cookie shells for up to 2 months. If freezing assembled cookies, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze solid before transferring to a freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying!
Time-Saving Hacks for Busy Bakers
Short on time? Skip the chilling step by rolling the dough directly onto parchment paper, cutting out the cookies, and transferring the parchment to the baking sheet. You can also use a pre-made frosting for the filling if you’re in a pinch. To speed up cooling, place the baked cookies on a wire rack and pop them in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Essential Equipment for Oreo Success
For best results, use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar. A small round cookie cutter (1 ¾”) is ideal for shaping the cookies, and a piping bag with a round tip makes filling them a breeze. If you don’t have black cocoa powder, regular cocoa powder works, but the color and flavor will be slightly different.
Homemade Oreo Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cookie Shells:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature preferred
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cups black cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening see note!
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- For cookie shellsIn a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar using an electric mixer (or use a stand mixer) until well combined.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and stir well.1 large egg, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour, ⅔ cups (67 g) black cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until well combined.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts, form each into a disk about 1″ thick, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour before proceeding.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Working with one disc of dough at at time, unwrap dough and transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface. Lightly sprinkle flour over the dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about ⅛-1/16″ (0.2cm) thickness. To help keep the dough from sticking to the counter, periodically use a spatula to scrape beneath the dough and loosen it from the counter.
- To make the pattern shown on my cookies: take a clean, grid-patterned cooling rack and flip it upside down. Gently press into the cookie dough, then gently lift, rotate the cooling rack, and press again before gently lifting and removing. Alternatively, use an embossed rolling pin or skip the design altogether.
- Usea small round cookie cutter (I use 1 ¾” (4.5cm) circles) to cut out circles and transfer to baking sheet, spacing 1” (2.5cm) apart. Once you’ve made as many cuts as possible, be sure to recombine the dough scraps, roll out again, and cut out more cookies to maximize the dough yield.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Allow them to cool completely before filling.
- For the Filling:In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and shortening using an electric mixer.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (45 g) vegetable shortening
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, stirring until well-combined.2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
- Stir in vanilla extract and salt.½ teaspoon clear vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- To Assemble:Pipe or spread a thin layer of the filling on the flat side of a cooled cookie, and then sandwich with another cookie, flat side down.
- Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Enjoy!