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Oreo cookies are such a symbol of childhood here in the U.S., though I’m not sure they were my favorite childhood treat – mostly because you’d get gunks of black cookie stuck in your teeth and on your face! There was no way you’d be able to sneak an Oreo without getting caught unless you brushed your teeth right after. And what 9-year-old wants to do that?!
I’m so excited to share this recipe for the BEST homemade Oreos. Let me just say, these copycat Oreo cookies taste about a million times better than the store-bought kind (though you still can’t sneak one!).
Perfectly crunchy chocolate cookie. Delicious cream filling. YUM. All made from scratch in under an hour (no cake mix used here).
The best part? You can add as much filling to each sandwich cookie as you want AND you can get creative with the filling flavors!
Check out the pink tip box below where I’m sharing tons of tips for making perfect Oreos, as well as delicious filling variations.
Then, get a glass of milk and enjoy these sandwich cookies! These make the best after-school or back-to-school treat.
How to Make Oreo Cookies
Ingredients for easy Homemade Oreo Cookies:
- All-purpose flour – measured correctly! If you add too much flour, you may end up with chewier cookies instead of cookies with a perfectly crunchy texture with a snap to them.
- Dutch-process cocoa powder or Black Cocoa powder – more details down below.
- Baking soda & baking powder – check out my Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder article to learn about the surprising differences between these two leaveners.
- Salt – just enough to enhance the sweet and chocolaty flavor.
- Granulated sugar – essential to any cookie recipe! In this recipe, sugar is not only needed as a flavor enhancer, but granulated sugar in particular is needed to allow the cookies to spread and develop crispiness.
- Butter – always use unsalted butter in baking.
- Egg – helps bind the cookie dough together so the final result isn’t too crumbly or too much like shortbread.
What kind of cocoa powder is in Oreos? Why are Oreos black?
Packaged Oreo cookies contain Black Cocoa which gives them their distinct dark cocoa color and extremely mild chocolate flavor. It can be difficult to source in store but purchased easily online. If you don’t have it, you can also use Dutch-process cocoa. My favorite brands of Dutch-process cocoa powder are E. Guittard, Penzey’s, Bensdorp, or Valrhona.
Oreo Filling Ingredients:
- Butter – again, make sure to use unsalted! Traditional Oreos don’t use butter (which actually makes them vegan friendly), but we use it in this homemade recipe for its flavor.
- Pure vanilla extract – helps make a flavorful filling.
- Powdered sugar – this recipe uses more than your typical buttercream to achieve that distinct extra sweet Oreo filling and smooth yet stiff texture.
- Fine sea salt – helps to balance the sweetness.
How to Make Homemade Oreos:
- Make the Oreo cookie dough. Combine the dry ingredients in a food processor or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the chunks of butter and the egg. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Portion the dough out into balls. Using a 1-Tablespoon scoop, place on a prepared parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten each ball using the palm of your hand until about ⅛-inch thick. This helps to ensure crisp cookies. Chill the cookie dough balls in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before baking so they don’t spread too much. No cookie cutter or rolling pin required here to keep this recipe super simple!
- Bake the cookies. About 10 minutes, or until the cookies are fragrant and completely set. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Make the Oreo cookie filling. Beat together the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
- Assemble the sandwiches. Drop a teaspoon-size blob of filling into the center of one cookie (or pipe in a teaspoon-sized blog using a pastry bag fitted with a round nozzle). Place another cookie on top of the cream. Lightly press down to form your Homemade Oreo cookie sandwich.
How to make double stuffed Oreos:
Increase filling to 1 tablespoon (or more, to your preference!) per cookie sandwich.
How to make smaller Oreos:
If you’d like to make your Oreos closer to packaged Oreo size, use a 1 teaspoon scoop (or about 10 grams of dough for each ball), and continue following the instructions as written.
How to store Homemade Oreos:
Homemade Oreos are best enjoyed the same day they are made for optimal Oreo-style crunch factor! The longer the filled cookies sit, the softer they will become – especially if where you live tends to be humid. To make these ahead of time, I would recommend storing the cooled cookies unfilled in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to fill and serve. Filling can also be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Let come to room temperature and re-whip before assembling cookies.
Filled sandwich cookies can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Allow to soften for about 5-10 minutes before enjoying.
Can you freeze Homemade Oreo Cookies?
Freeze unfilled, cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Defrost to room temperature before decorating or serving.
Oreo Filling Variations
Choose your own Oreo adventure! Here are some different filling recipes for your version of the best homemade Oreos.
Peanut Butter Buttercream Filling
1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature
½ cup (135 grams) creamy peanut butter*
2 1/2 cups (313 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of warm water, about 100°F
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter and peanut butter for about 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the edges of the bowl with a spatula. On low speed, add the powdered sugar a ½ cup (63 grams) at a time to ensure that the powdered sugar has been fully incorporated. Once all the powdered sugar has been added, add the salt and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Lastly, add the vanilla extract and water, mixing until fully combined.
*Conventional peanut butter (like Skippy or Jif) is best, though natural peanut butter could be substituted if mixed really well.
Strawberry Buttercream Filling
1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature
2 1/2 cups (313 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons (0.4 ounces) freeze-dried strawberries (finely ground in food processor)
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter for about 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the edges of the bowl with a spatula. On low speed, add the powdered sugar a ½ cup (63 grams) at a time to ensure that the powdered sugar has been fully incorporated. Once all the powdered sugar has been added, add the salt and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Lastly, add the vanilla extract and the freeze-dried strawberries, mixing until fully combined.
Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream Filling
1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature
2 1/2 cups (313 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons mint extract
1 teaspoon green food coloring, optional
½ cup (85 grams) finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter for about 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the edges of the bowl with a spatula. On low speed, add the powdered sugar a ½ cup (63 grams) at a time to ensure that the powdered sugar has been fully incorporated. Once all the powdered sugar has been added, add the salt and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add the mint extract and food coloring (if using), until just combined. Lastly, fold in the chopped chocolate chips with a spatula.
Espresso Buttercream Filling
1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature
2 1/2 cups (313 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons espresso powder dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter for about 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the edges of the bowl with a spatula. On low speed, add the powdered sugar a ½ cup (63 grams) at a time to ensure that the powdered sugar has been fully incorporated. Once all the powdered sugar has been added, add the salt and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Lastly, add the dissolved espresso liquid until just combined.
More Homemade Copycat Dessert Recipes:
For the cookies:
-
1 1/4
cups
(159 grams) all-purpose flour
-
1/2
cup
(43 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder or Black cocoa powder
-
1
teaspoon
baking soda
-
1/4
teaspoon
baking powder
-
1/4
teaspoon
salt
-
1
cup
(200 grams) granulated sugar
-
10
tablespoons
(142 grams) unsalted butter,
at a cool room temperature, cut into chunks
-
1
large egg,
at room temperature
For the filling:
-
1
stick (113 grams) unsalted butter,
at a cool room temperature
-
2 ½
teaspoons
pure vanilla extract
-
2 1/2
cups
(313 grams) powdered sugar,
sifted
-
1/8
teaspoon
fine sea salt
Make the cookies:
-
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
In a food processor fitted with the S blade attachment or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter in several pieces at a time, then add the egg. Continue processing, or mixing, until the dough comes together in a mass, about 1 minute.
-
Divide the dough into 1-Tablespoon sized balls using a small cookie scoop and drop onto prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.* Dampen the palm of your hand before flattening each ball of cookie dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Chill each tray of flattened cookie dough for at least 10 minutes in the fridge before baking.
-
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, rotating once to ensure even baking, or until the cookies are fragrant and completely set. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool. At this point the cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 2 days. Note they may become less crispy the longer they’re stored.
To make the filling:
-
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and vanilla on medium-low speed until well combined. Scrape down the bowl. Gradually add the powdered sugar then the salt. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
To assemble:
-
Using a pastry bag or spatula, drop a teaspoon-size blob of filling into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press down to work the filling evenly towards the outside of the cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.
-
Serve the same day the cookies are assembled for best texture.
*If you'd like to make your Oreos closer to packaged Oreo size, rather than using a 2 teaspoon scoop, take 1 teaspoon of dough (or about 10 grams of dough for each ball) and continue following the instructions as written.
This post was originally published in 2011 and updated in 2022 with new photos and recipe improvements. Photos by Joanie Simon.
August 2022 Baking Challenge
This recipe was the August 2022 selection for our monthly baking challenge! Every month you can join the challenge by baking the recipe and snapping a photo for a chance to win prizes! Learn more about my monthly baking challenges here. Check out everyone’s Homemade Oreos:
Bout how many does this make ?
Hi Kim! As mentioned at the top of the recipe, this recipe yields 15 sandwich cookies. Be sure to check out all the great tips and information Tessa packed into the pink tip box (above the recipe) before trying these, and let us know what you think of the recipe once you’ve given them a try! Happy baking 🙂
Hi Tessa,
My family is more a vanilla family,and I was wondering if you may have a vanilla version of your chocolate Oreo cookie recipe?
Rainna
Hi Rainna! Tessa does not have a vanilla Oreo recipe, sorry! Maybe one day 🙂 in the meantime, if you’ve never tried Tessa’s Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies, give those a try! They’re easily the best sugar cookies I’ve ever tried 😉 Enjoy!
are the cookies actually hard like oreos
Hi Jordan! The texture of these cookies is pretty similar to store-bought Oreos, just a little bit softer and chewier, yet still with a satisfying snap and crunch. Bake a touch longer for more of a crunch! Be sure to read everything I’ve noted in the pink tip box (above the recipe) for all the tips and info you need to nail these – including super helpful info on the cocoa powder you need to copy that Oreo flavor. Let us know how it goes! Happy baking 🙂
I made a gluten free version of this and it came out great. I just substituted a gluten free flour and didn’t change anything else the question I had is have you tried any other fillings than the ones above like caramel or cinnamon for example and if so would you use the same amount of butter and sugar because I noticed the fillings all had 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar.
Hi Michael! So glad that worked so well for you! We haven’t tried any filling variations beyond what’s listed, but feel free to experiment with any flavors you like. Let us know how it goes 🙂
So good and super easy! I happened to have black cocoa powder leftover from a cow cake I made for my 1 year old. Since it reminded me of oreos I thought I’d see if I could make oreos! Soo yummy! They turned out great (though a little inconsistent on size). I did run out of filling, but that could have been due to the different sizes too.
Can you roll out this dough and use a cookie cutter for shaping?
Hi Anna! We haven’t tried that with this recipe, so we can’t say for sure! If the dough is chilled very well before being baked, they shouldn’t spread too much – but as they were not designed for this, we cannot guarantee that they’ll hold their shapes perfectly. Alternatively, give this recipe a try! Happy baking 🙂
These were very simple and extremely delicious! Thank you for posting!!
These were unbelievably good and easy to make! Better than Oreos, 1000%
Can these be adapted to be more like Nabisco wafer cookies ( that they don’t make anymore!)?
Hi Beryl! I’m sorry, but we haven’t tried anything like this ourselves, so we can’t say for sure! Feel free to experiment as you like and let us know how it goes 🙂
Can I use regular saly and not sea salt?
Hi Belle! Yes, that’s fine – Tessa just prefers the flavor of sea salt. Read more about salts here!
Made them. Love them…maybe a little too much for someone who lives alone…has anyone tried freezing them and did they come out ok after freezing/thawing?
Hi Jacki! We’re so happy to hear that you enjoy these Homemade Oreos so much! We haven’t tried freezing the finished, filled cookies (and I believe that would likely make the cookies a bit soggy when thawing), but there’s tips on freezing the unfilled cookies in the pink tip box, above the recipe 🙂 I hope that helps!
Thank you for your reply. I gave some to my neighbors and I froze a few with the filling to see how they will come out. I haven’t thawed them yet. I also froze a few to add the filling later. They are very tasty, probably just as addictive as the store bought ones!
So glad you enjoy these so much, Jacki!
now that I can make Oreos better than the ones in store I’m in so much trouble haha thank you! Very yummy and quite easy!
Could I make this into one huge biscuit so it looks like a cake?
Hi Ashlee! We haven’t tried that, so I can’t tell you how well that will work or how long to bake it for, sorry! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
I made these for the first time a few days ago, but instead of using butter for the cookies I used unsweetened applesauce. The outcome was good but I’m not sure what it might’ve changed about the original. Overall, this recipe is very good and my family and I will continue using this recipe quite often.
Also, my two sisters made a cake out of this recipe and it turned out to be a pretty rad, delux-looking Oreo.
Can I make a cherry filling with freeze dried cherries following the strawberry filling?
I don’t see why not! Let us know what you think if you give it a try! 🙂
My family loved these and my son wants me to mail the espresso ones to him now. Lol.
Haha sounds like he’s a lucky son, Lesa 🙂 So glad your family enjoyed these so much!
Pretty easy cookie to make. The filling tastes just like the original even though I had a little bit of a hard time squeezing it through the pastry bag. Nothing a little muscle can’t handle.
So terrific to hear that, Mae!!
These are delicious!!! Everyone who has tasted them has gobbled them right up and my son things he’s hot stuff getting to eat homemade Oreos! I appreciate the info around what kind of cocoa powder to use if you don’t have black cocoa powder. I know I can order it, but wanted to just use what I have on hand this time. I chose to make smaller (6 gram) dough balls so they’d be similar to the size of a store-bought Oreo. I made a chocolate variation by mixing some rich chocolate buttercream I had in the freezer with some of the vanilla creme filling. Both kinds were AMAZING! Thanks for such a great recipe, Tessa!!
Sounds terrific, Taylor! So glad your Oreos were such a hit 🙂
The dough was surprisingly easy to make, and I thought it was easy to roll and flatten (I wore gloves). I’ll have to shave a minute or two off the baking time if I make these again (1 cookie started smoking even though my oven thermometer said it was the correct temperature). I can’t smell much due to post-COVID syndrome, so the cookies probably just hit the “fragrant” distinction without me noticing. The texture of the cookies is spot-on, and I think the flavor would have been perfect if I had removed them from the oven slightly sooner.
So glad to hear that these were fun and easy to make, Rae! I hope your sense of smell comes back soon!!
Very quick and easy!! Super good recipe for make with kids! So soft and delicious!
Deliciuos oreos, yet easy recipe. Loved it!
Yay! So happy to hear that, Judita!
These are addictive!!
Soooo gooood!
I used my OXO cookie press which worked perfectly to make equally sized cookies, it helped speed up the process and it was incredibly easy.. The cookies were delicious and easy to put together. I used my food processor to make the dough. This recipe is another keeper .
So glad to hear this worked so well for you, Robin!! Glad you enjoyed making and enjoying your Oreos 🙂
Oreos will always be their own thing, but these are delicious! I made the peanut butter and the mint fillings and loved them both!
What can I say? These are just like the storebought ones – only better? Bravo, good lady, bravo.
I loved making these Oreo sandwich cookies! This was a first time for me making this kind of cookie. A real hit with the family!
What a fun recipe! it’s easy and the filling truly tastes like what you eat out of a store oreo.
Easy to make and delicious!
My husband is not a big fan of powdered sugar fillings so I tried my hand at making Swiss buttercream for the first time. Delicious filling for the homemade Oreos!
So glad you and your husband enjoyed these, Cheryl!
I baked these as part of the August baking challenge. They definitely didn’t disappoint! It took a little bit of time and TLC to scoop, roll, and flatten the dough but it was simple and easy. The flavor is so close to the original and everyone who has tried them has enjoyed them! Best served with a glass of ice cold milk 🙂
So excited to hear that, Danielle!!
Delicious, will make again
These were so so fun and so yummy. I’m not sure if they tasted exactly like real Oreos, but if anything they were better. Fairly simple recipe too!
So good! Crispy chocolate cookies with that vanilla filling! Easy to make and takes about an hour. Nice quick recipe
I made the Oreo Cookie recipe in both vanilla and espresso. Loved the extra flavors for filling included in the recipe.
I shared them at our Friday family dinner (all adults 🙂 Everyone took some home and they liked them better the next day. Perhaps that’s because we were pretty full after dinner 🙂 They did not get crispy. I think I needed to bake them longer.
Thanks for the recipe 🙂
So glad you enjoyed them when you weren’t so full anymore, Suzanne!! You can definitely add an extra minute or two in the oven, to crisp them up a little more next time 🙂
Not sure if I missed something but I felt like my filling was dry and there wasn’t enough. Otherwise they taste delicious
Hi Karen! This filling is supposed to be fairly stiff, to resemble the filling of a real Oreo. Sorry you found it too dry! Next time, feel free to add a tiny splash of milk to thin it out a little and make it a more creamy consistency, to your liking!
This were great. I’ve had lots of homemade Oreos before, but these are much better. The crisp cookies are delicious!
These were amazing and tasted better than the original inspiration! Even though the cookies were not as crunchy the next day, we really enjoyed them the day after I assembled them as the flavors of the cookie and the icing really melded together well as they sat.
So thrilled to hear that, Laura!!
I don’t love Oreos – the cookie is too crunchy, and the filling is greasy (this might be exactly why my family members love Oreos). This homemade Oreo recipe is perfect for me – the cookie isn’t too crunchy, and the filling (while still super sweet) doesn’t leave a gross greasy film in my mouth. Bonus: these homemade Oreos are so much bigger than a standard size Oreo. I’m looking forward to making these again with some of the filling variations.
Hi Annemarie! So happy to hear these were such a hit 🙂
It was more time intensive than I thought to flatten out all of the cookies and they had a strong baking soda taste to me. But the filling was great.
Tastes like the real thing!
Fun recipe! Amazing how much better in taste and texture than store bought!
Delicious Cookie that I will make again. I think the dough would make a lovely Oreo crust for a cheesecake or peanut butter pie.
That might be really good, Donna! You’ll have to let us know how that goes if you ever give it a try 😉
These cookies are so good! I will say that they were like double the size of a regular oreo, but the flavor was right on.
Hi Madison! There are instructions in the pink tip box, above the recipe, for making these smaller and close to a real Oreo in size! You can use a 1 teaspoon scoop (or weigh out about 10 grams of dough for each ball), and continue following the instructions as written. Happy baking 🙂
These cookies are better than store bought Oreos! Will definitely make them again!
Homemade Oreo Cookies
The cookies were easy to make a tasted fantastic. They were eaten as fast as I could assemble them. I made a chocolate filling and I am eager to try mint and other filling flavours.
Hi Kim! So wonderful to hear this!! Glad they were such a hit 🙂
I love Oreos and wanted to try this challenge. They turned out great, just the right amount of crunch and not too sweet cookie, soft filling. Thanks for the recipe, I will keep it in my favorites file : )
Wonderful to hear that, Larry!!
The homemade Oreos turned out so delicious. I used black cocoa powder so they really looked very similar to an actual Oreo! My biggest issue was the dough. It was pretty challenging to work with, because it was so sticky. I even chilled it before scooping to try to help, but it really didn’t make it any easier! I weigh the ingredients and temp the butter, so I’m not sure if that’s just the dough? Either way, I’d make them again because they are that good!
Hi Bevin! I’m so glad you still enjoyed these Oreos, despite the difficulty you experienced handling them! When we tested these Oreos out, they were a tiny bit sticky, but so sticky that they were at all difficult to roll out or handle! Was your kitchen super warm at the time of baking? Also, are you using a bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour? Bleached flours tend to absorb moisture better than unbleached, so perhaps that might help next time? Lastly, I would recommend refrigerating the dough for longer (even overnight) if the stickiness is still an issue for you next time, to help combat this! Please feel free to reach out to us if you wish to troubleshoot any further – we are always happy to help!
These cookies are soooo much better than packaged Oreos! Several friends and family members tried them and 100% commented that they’re delicious and better than “real” Oreos. The filling tastes the same, and the cookie is more delicate and flavorful. Yum!
Yay! So thrilled to hear that you enjoyed these Homemade Oreos so much, Becky!!
I really enjoyed making this recipe and they are really good !!!
Hi Valerie! So excited to hear that!! Thanks for the comment!
They are so goood and very fun to make !! 🙂
I wasn’t too sure about these until I put them together and then tried them! They are so good and definitely better put together! Also, storing them in the refrigerator keep them crisp and they tasted great for several days. Gave them to the neighbors to taste and they loved them and asked for the recipe!
Yay!! So thrilled to hear that, Heather!!
They came out better than expected. They were just the right amount of crunch and tasted even better the next day. So good.
So easy and fun. And DELICIOUS with a sprinkle of childhood thrown in! 🙂
I did take the suggestion of a HTH baker who recommended weighing out the dough balls to 5 grams each. They are the perfect copy cat Oreo size.
Hi Cindy! So excited to hear that these were such a nostalgic hit 🙂
I never thought that I could ever make anything that closely resembles this cookie! The filling was an absolute parallel to the original & I couldn’t believe that it was possible with so few ingredients. Thank you, Tessa, for sharing this with the world
Yay! So great to hear that!! 🙂
Recipe was pretty straight forward and uncomplicated which I loved! I kind of wanted it a little more crunch to resemble an Oreo more, however, they were delicious as they were.
Hi Caroline! So glad you enjoyed the flavor and ease of these Oreos! Next time, simply add a couple extra minutes to the bake time to get more of that Oreo-style crunch! 🙂
While I’m not a huge Oreo fan, I did want to try out this recipe because of the challenge and also because, well, a homemade Oreo? They did not disappoint! Tasted like an Oreo but better. I ended up with 18 cookies. I made the espresso and the mint fillings. The espresso – bomb! Not a mint fan (except in a cocktail), but the hubby loves it and loved the cookies! Tip: When pressing the cookies, I used a plastic baggie over my hand, which made it SO much easier! I also put both fillings in the fridge for a bit to firm up before piping. Thank you for another great recipe!
Yay!! So excited to hear this, Laurie!!
I love Oreos so this was super fun to try a homemade version. They were much easier than I thought they’d be. LOVE the taste and use of black cocoa powder. Will definitely make these again.
Yay!! So excited to hear this, Robin!!