The Best Homemade Oreo Cookies

Jessica Kelly
Feb 2, 2025
6 min read

Homemade Oreo Cookies – Crisp, Chocolatey, and Perfectly Creamy

There’s something undeniably nostalgic about an Oreo—the crisp chocolate wafers, the creamy filling, the way they twist apart with just a bit of resistance, and these are the best homemade Oreos. But once you’ve made them from scratch, store-bought will never taste the same again. These homemade Oreo cookiesare richer, more chocolatey, and have the perfect balance of crunch and creaminess. Plus, you control the ingredients—no mystery additives, just pure, delicious goodness.

Let’s dive into making the ultimate homemade Oreos, starting with the deep, dark chocolate cookies and finishing with a thick, creamy filling that stays put like the real thing.

Step 1: Making the Chocolate Wafers

The foundation of an Oreo is its signature chocolate wafer—crisp, slightly bitter, and deeply satisfying. The secret? A good dose of dark cocoa powder and just the right amount of butter to give it structure.

How to Make the Chocolate Wafers

1. Preheat & Prep: Set your oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a food processor or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, vanilla and sugar.

3. Add Butter & Eggs: With the mixer on low (or pulsing in the food processor), add the butter in small chunks until it’s fully incorporated. Then, add the eggs and continue mixing until the dough comes together in a sticky mass. This should take about a minute.

Shape & Chill:

Scoop the dough into

1-tablespoon-sized balls

(for an 3 inch cookie) or 1 tsp sized balls (for a 1 inch cookie) and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them

2 inches apart

. Lightly dampen your palm and press each dough ball down to

about 1/8-inch thickness

. At this stage you can also roll these out with a fun decorative roller (embossing roller) to get more of the effect of a real Oreo cookie. Here’s a

link

to my favorite one on amazon.

5. Chill Before Baking: Pop the trays in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before baking—this helps the cookies hold their crisp shape.

6. Bake to Perfection: Bake for 6-9 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. The cookies should be set and fragrant. Let them cool on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack.

At this point, they’re already good enough to snack on—but let’s be real, an Oreo without its signature creamy filling is just a very good chocolate cookie. So, let’s fix that.

Step 2: The Perfect Oreo Filling

Most homemade Oreo fillings are simply butter and powdered sugar, which can get soft and squishy at room temperature. While that’s fine for some cookies, a proper Oreo needs a firm, pipeable filling—one that won’t melt when held and has the same satisfying resistance when you twist the cookies apart.

The secret? Clarified butter. By simmering the butter and driving off the water, we get a filling that’s creamy and smooth without being too soft or overly sweet.

How to Make the Creamy Filling

1. Prepare the Butter: In a small saucepan, melt unsalted butter over low heat. Let it simmer gently until the water content evaporates—about 5 minutes. This creates a simple clarified butter that won’t break down the powdered sugar.

Mix the Filling:

In a stand mixer, beat the

clarified butter and powdered sugar

together until smooth. The heat from the butter will help dissolve some of the sugar, reducing any grittiness. Add the salt and vanilla (good quality) and beat until smooth. I make my own vanilla, which adds so much to the quality of the taste here. Do not use imitation vanilla (IMO).

Get Ready to Pipe:

While the filling is still warm, transfer it to a

large pastry bag fitted with a half-inch round tip

. It will be thick, so don’t try to use a flimsy zip-top bag—it just won’t work. Or you can use a spoon to apply a ball of filling to each cookie.

Step 3: Assembling the Cookies

Now for the fun part—putting it all together

1. Flip & Pipe: Turn half of the cooled chocolate wafers upside down. Pipe a quarter-ounce blob of the warm filling onto each cookie. (You don’t need to be exact, just eyeball it!)

2. Sandwich Together: Gently press the remaining cookies on top, twisting slightly as you press down.

3. Let Them Set: The filling will firm up as it cools, so work somewhat quickly. Once assembled, let the cookies sit at room temperature until the filling has set completely—this should only take about 10-15 minutes.

Now comes the best part: that first bite. The crisp wafers give way to the creamy filling, and if you twist them apart, you’ll get that same slight snap as the real deal.

Why These Homemade Oreos Are So Special

•

Better Texture:

The filling stays firm, just like the real thing, instead of turning soft and messy.

• Richer Flavor: The chocolate wafers have deep cocoa notes without being too sweet, making them the perfect balance for the filling.

•

No Preservatives:

Just pure, homemade goodness—no artificial flavors or unpronounceable ingredients.

How to Store Your Homemade Oreos

If you don’t devour them all in one sitting (impressive self-control, by the way), store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you like a crisper cookie, enjoy them fresh. If you prefer a slightly softer texture, let them sit overnight—they absorb a bit of moisture from the filling, making them even more like the real thing.

These homemade Oreos are perfect for dunking, twisting, or using in other desserts (hello, cookies & cream ice cream!). But honestly? They’re best enjoyed just as they are—one perfect bite at a time.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get baking!

Print Pin

The Best Homemade Oreos

These homemade Oreo cookies are a rich, chocolatey upgrade to the classic favorite! Made with crisp Dutch-process (or black) cocoa wafers and a thick, creamy vanilla filling, they have the perfect balance of crunch and sweetness. Whether you’re dunking, twisting, or snacking straight from the batch, these homemade Oreos are a must-try!

Servings

45cookies

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Wafer:

1 ¼ cups 155g all-purpose flour
½ cup 50g Dutch-process or black cocoa powder (see link)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup 200g granulated sugar
10 tablespoons 140g unsalted butter, at cool room temperature, cut into pieces
1 large egg at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Filling:

12 ounces 24 tablespoons; 340g unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
17 ounces 4 ¼ cups; 480g powdered sugar

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Wafers:

Preheat & Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a food processor or stand mixer, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and sugar.
Add Butter & Egg: With the mixer on low (or pulsing in a food processor), add the butter pieces gradually, then mix in the egg and vanilla extract until the dough comes together.
Shape & Chill: Scoop 1-teaspoon-sized ball of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Lightly flatten each ball to about 1/8-inch thickness. Chill for 10 minutes.
Bake: Bake for 7-9 minutes, rotating the trays once. The cookies should be set and fragrant. Let them cool completely on the baking sheets.

Make the Cream Filling:

Clarify the Butter: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and let it gently simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the water to evaporate.
Mix the Filling: In a stand mixer, beat the clarified butter, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar, mixing until thick and creamy.
Prepare to Pipe: Transfer the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a half-inch round tip.

Assemble the Cookies:

Pipe the Filling: Flip half of the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe a small dollop of filling onto each one.
Sandwich & Set: Place the remaining cookies on top, pressing down gently while twisting slightly. Let the cookies sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes until the filling firms up.

Storage:

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Enjoy fresh for a crisp texture or let them soften overnight for a more traditional Oreo bite.
Now, grab a glass of milk, dunk, twist, and enjoy your homemade Oreos!