Homemade Oreos with Candy Cane Frosting

Homemade oreos - chocolate sandwich cookies with frosting - are a little less crunchy but way more tasty than store-bought. I went for a holiday option and added crushed candy canes to the frosting. The mint flavor works really well here.

I went all out with these cookies and also dipped them in chocolate and sprinkled crushed candy canes on top. While visually this is a plus, the extra chocolate doesn't add too much to the taste and is probably not worth the extra effort. This is the type of cookie that everyone will gobble down, so who cares what they look like?

Homemade Oreos with Candy Cane Frosting
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 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
optional: about 6 candy canes, finely ground in food processor

Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.

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

Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, 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 filling, 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. Add ground candy canes, mix, and taste. Add more candy canes as necessary for desired mint taste.

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.

Optional: Melt dark chocolate and dip sandwiched cookies halfway. Shake off excess chocolate and let set on wax paper. While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle crushed candy canes on top.