Fauxreos

I have been wanting to try this recipe for awhile, but have been a bit iffy about it.  I wasn't worried about them not tasting good, but I thought they would turn out more like whoopie pies than oreos.  Now, they don't taste like the real deal, but I like them. I think if I got my hands on some dark cocoa, they would be pretty close.  I am quite pleased with how they turned out.  In the words of my 2 1/2 year old "Mom!  They're 'licious!"  

1 1/4 c. flour
2/3 c. cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. +  2 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375.  Combine flour, cocoa, soda, powder, salt and sugar.

Mix in butter and egg until well-combined. Make sure the butter is slightly softened or it won't mix in that well.  If you look in the picture below, you can see some butter chunks because I was impatient.  Then I had to let the dough sit for awhile while I waited for it to soften so it would mix right.

(not quite mixed enough)

Roll dough into small balls, place on greased cookie sheet.  Press the balls into circles, either using your hand or the bottom of a cup.  If you want fun shapes, press flat and then use a cookie cutter to cut out the shape.

cook for 9 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to a cooling rack.

When cookies are completely cool, pair up the cookies, place frosting on the bottom of one and place another cookie on top.  Easy peesy!

Frosting
1/2 c. shortening
1/4 c. butter
2-3 cups powder sugar (add until you get the consistency you want, you want it to be thick, but spreadable)

Filling flavorings:
3 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tsp peppermint extract

Combine shortening, butter, and sugar.  Mix until very well combined and you reach the consistency you want. If you want the cream filling, add 3 tsp vanilla.  If you want mint stuffed, add 3 tsp. peppermint, or divide the dough in half and do both.  To make them festive, add food coloring to the filling.

I think this would be a fun thing to do with the kiddos too.  They could spread the frosting and then make the cookie sandwich.  I also love how much you could change this up with different flavors of frostings.  I know someone (*cough*Teresa*cough*) who has a bazillion extracts and I think it would be fun to play around with teh different flavors for the frosting: coconut, raspberry, almond, strawberry, marshmallow, just to name a few.   You can add different colors to match the holiday or if you are doing them for a party, you can do it in teh colors of the party.  I am also going to try a pumpkin filling come fall.  I love pumpkin flavored things. =)

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