Homemade Oreo Recipe

Homemade Oreos with Cream Cheese Frosting rolled in Holiday M&Ms for an extra seasonal flare

Over the years, I've been asked for my Homemade Oreo Recipe more times than I can count.  So much so, in fact, that I have an email draft all saved and ready to go anytime someone asks.  Why not share this secret with the world?

I had my first go at these with my friend, Jon Scott, in 2008 and have been tweaking it ever since.  At my highest, I was making three batches per week for about two years. Enjoy!

For those of you who need EXACT, overly ridiculously precise instructions, this recipe provides.

Cookies:
1 box Betty Crocker Devil's food cake mix (has to be Betty Crocker, has to be Devil's Food)
2 eggs
Whatever amount of oil the cake mix box says

Roll into quarter-sized balls and bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes
You will be able to tell if the cookies are cooked enough because they will have cracks in the top of them and when you lift the pan up and let it drop down, the cookies will sink a little.

Cream Cheese Frosting (enough for two batches):
1 stick real salted butter
1 8 oz. block cream cheese
blend until smooth
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
blend until smooth
1.5 cups - 3 cups powdered sugar - this is the one where you have to trust your taste buds.  Some people like really cream-cheesey frosting, others like it very sweet.  I typically put in 2-2.5 cups.  It's up to you.  

Blend until smooth and refrigerate.
This keeps in the fridge in a sealed container until the expiration date of the cream cheese.  I usually have a tub of frosting in my fridge ready to go, that way I only have to worry about making the cookies and I can do that super fast.  

Let the cookies cool completely before you frost them.
Put however much or little frosting in the middle that you want.  I find that most people like more frosting.
Once I have them all frosted, I typically keep them refrigerated until ready to serve.  I also find that most people prefer these chilled.  

Each box of cake mix makes about 20 oreos.  That's why my frosting recipe is for a double batch - I almost always double up on the cookie recipe when I'm taking them somewhere.

If you roll the Oreos in M&Ms or other candies, simply dip the top half of one ball of dough in the topping, then bake.  Only the top half of each completed cookie needs dipped, which will help your garnish last longer.  

You can use any kind of cake mix and duplicate this recipe for a variety of flavors.

Larissa's Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I learned today that a picture really is worth 1,000 words.  All I did was post a photo of some cookies I baked for a friend and - *BAM* - dozens of requests for a recipe.  They do look amazing, right?  I promise they taste even better!

Ingredients

• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 2 sticks room temperature butter (aka softened, not melted)
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 cup flour (or just do 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 regular flour)
• 1/3 bag Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips or Trader Joe's Chocolate Chips
• 1/3 bag Trader Joe's Chocolate Chunks
• 1/3 bag Nestle Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (the only time I ever use Nestle, as I don't prefer their chocolate)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• Combine sugars and butter until integrated/fluffy (too much mixing will melt the butter = bad)
• Mix in extracts, soda, powder, salt, and eggs (again, do not mix too much)
• Mix in bread flour until just integrated
• Mix in flour until just integrated (the dough may seem as if it is not going to stick together, but it will once you knead)
• Knead in chocolate chips with freshly washed hands
• Refrigerate dough for at least* an hour.  I prefer to let it set overnight, which is why I love this recipe- you can whip it together right before bed in ten minutes, then bake the next day (or three days later!).
• Roll dough into balls - I usually do about a 50-cent piece size just slightly smaller than a golf ball, but it works for larger sizes too

*I promise you if you don't let these set/chill, they will turn out very flat and crispy, which is not at all what you want.

Baking/Post-Baking

• Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Some ovens may take 11.  You want them to only have the lightest of brown on the higher points of the cookies.
• Let cookies develop on sheet for two or three minutes.
• Use spatula to remove and place on whatever surface you use for cooling - I use a sheet of wax paper or tin foil.  Nothing fancy.
• The cookies may seem to be gooey or more likely to fall apart, but they will solidify upon cooling.

Ambien Cooking

My mother was once found in the kitchen in the middle of the night, holding a bowl full of flour, lightly tossing handfuls of flour all over the kitchen.  When my father asked what she was doing, she replied, "I'm cooking."

This story makes me giggle every time I think about it.  I hope it brightens your Friday morning, too!

Cheddar Jalapeno Biscuits

I am a sucker for anything cheddar jalapeno.  But you know how sometimes something is so close to what you want, yet so far?  So I decided I needed to come up with something I know will satisfy me every time.  Enjoy!

Cheddar Jalapeno Biscuits (12-16 biscuits)
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c. dry Nestle Carnation Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
3 finely chopped medium jalapenos, seeds removed (unless you like the heat)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter softened and diced into smaller pieces
3/4 cup water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F
Combine in medium to large bowl: dry milk, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cheese, jalapenos
Knead in butter into dry mixture in bowl
Knead in water gradually, just until dough is moistened, yet still firm in bowl
Wash hands immediately to avoid jalapeno-hands (you can soak in whole milk if you feel a burn, but I've never been affected)
Remove dough from bowl and knead on a lightly floured surface for about 30 seconds
Place dough into lightly floured 8x8 inch square, pat down, cut into 12-16 squares (depending on the size you want)
Place each biscuit onto a lightly-greased baking sheet
Bake for 12-16 minutes (remove when light golden brown)

These go perfect with my shredded chicken chili or your favorite jalapeno jelly.   When you reheat them, do so in a toaster oven not the microwave - they are much, much better crunchy and fresh.  Just trust me on this one.