Homemade Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Homemade Oreos
Dark cocoa wafers filled with fluffy vanilla cream make a crisp, nostalgic sandwich cookie that is perfect with a cold glass of milk.
These homemade chocolate sandwich cookies take the familiar idea of crisp cocoa wafers and vanilla cream and make it feel like a real bakery project without becoming fussy. The dough comes together quickly, bakes into deeply flavored rounds, and cools firm enough to hold a generous center of frosting.
Dutch-process cocoa gives the wafers their smooth chocolate flavor, while a small swap of black cocoa can make them taste even closer to the packaged classic. The cookies are intentionally not too sweet on their own, which leaves room for the sweet vanilla filling to balance each bite.
A piping bag makes assembly fast and neat, but a sturdy zip-top bag with one corner snipped off works well too. Match cookies by size, pipe the filling in the center, and press lightly until the cream reaches the edges.
The finished sandwiches keep well at room temperature, making them useful for parties, lunch boxes, and edible gifts. They are best after the wafers have cooled completely, when the contrast between crisp cookie and creamy filling is clean and satisfying.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
-
1
Heat the oven to 375°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
2
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and granulated sugar in a food processor or mixer bowl until evenly blended.
-
3
Add the wafer butter, then the egg, and mix until the dough gathers into a thick, cohesive mass.
-
4
Scoop rounded teaspoons of dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart so the cookies can spread.
-
5
Bake the wafers for about 9 minutes, rotating the pans once, then drop each pan gently onto the counter twice from a few inches high to flatten the tops.
-
6
Transfer the baking sheets to racks and let the wafers cool completely before filling.
-
7
Beat the filling butter, shortening or extra butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and fine salt until the mixture is smooth, pale, and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes on high speed.
-
8
Pipe or spoon 2 to 3 teaspoons of filling onto half of the wafers, top with matching wafers, and press lightly until the cream spreads to the edges.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour:1 1/4 cups
- Unsweetened Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder:1/2 cup
- Baking Soda:1 tsp
- Baking Powder:1/4 tsp
- Kosher Salt:1/2 tsp
- Granulated Sugar:1 1/4 cups
- Unsalted Butter For Wafers, Room Temperature:10 tbsp
- Large Egg:1
- Unsalted Butter For Filling, Room Temperature:4 tbsp
- Vegetable Shortening Or Additional Unsalted Butter:1/4 cup
- Sifted Confectioners' Sugar:2 cups
- Vanilla Extract:2 tsp
- Fine Salt:2 pinches
Tips & Notes
- Replace 2 tablespoons of the Dutch-process cocoa with black cocoa for a darker, more classic sandwich-cookie flavor.
- Use the smaller end of a cookie scoop or a measuring teaspoon for cookies that bake into even sandwich halves.
- Let the cookies cool fully before filling; warm wafers will soften the cream and make assembly messy.
- Store the finished sandwiches in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 week.
