Easy Homemade Oreo Cookies: The Ultimate Cake Mix Recipe for Classic Sandwich Delights
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Craving the iconic taste of Oreo cookies but want to enjoy the satisfaction of baking them yourself? This is your golden opportunity! Forget complex recipes that demand specialty ingredients like Dutch-process cocoa powder. With this incredibly easy cake mix recipe, you can whip up a batch of delicious homemade Oreos with just a few simple pantry staples. Get ready to impress your family and friends with these delightful chocolate sandwich cookies that taste even better than the store-bought version!
Our recipe streamlines the baking process by utilizing a boxed chocolate cake mix, saving you time and effort while guaranteeing a perfectly rich, dark chocolate cookie base every time. You’ll achieve that distinct deep flavor and dark color without needing to source specific cocoa powders. These homemade Oreo cookies, resembling gourmet whoopie pies, are so flavorful and moist that you might find yourself reaching for them instead of a packaged version. While a store-bought pack of Oreos is always a welcome treat, this homemade rendition is surprisingly simple and creates a truly special dessert experience that everyone will adore. It’s the perfect addition to any dessert spread or a delightful treat for an afternoon pick-me-up.
Essential Ingredients for Your Homemade Oreo Cookies
Creating the perfect homemade Oreo starts with selecting quality ingredients that contribute to its rich flavor and delightful texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need for the chocolate cookie wafers:
- Chocolate Cake Mix: The star of our recipe! Use two 15-ounce boxes of your favorite chocolate cake mix. Any brand will work, but a good quality mix will yield a richer chocolate flavor. This is your secret weapon for dark, perfectly flavored cookies without needing fancy cocoa powder.
- Eggs: Four large eggs, ideally at room temperature. Room temperature eggs combine more easily with other ingredients, resulting in a smoother, more uniform cookie dough and a better texture in your baked cookies.
- Oil: Two-thirds of a cup of vegetable or canola oil. This fat keeps the cookies incredibly moist and chewy, giving them that classic Oreo-like bite.
And for the luscious, creamy filling that binds everything together:
- Unsalted Butter: Half a cup of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. Softened butter is crucial for a smooth, lump-free filling that’s easy to beat and spread.
- Cream Cheese: Eight ounces of softened cream cheese. This is our special ingredient that elevates the filling, adding a slight tang and incredible richness that beautifully complements the dark chocolate cookies. It truly makes for the best Oreo-style cream filling.
- Vanilla Extract: One teaspoon of vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract will give your filling that authentic, sweet, and aromatic flavor that’s synonymous with Oreo’s signature cream.
- Powdered Sugar: Three and a half cups of powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar). This finely milled sugar is essential for achieving the smooth, airy, and creamy texture of the classic Oreo center.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Homemade Oreo Cookies
Making these homemade Oreos is surprisingly straightforward, thanks to the cake mix shortcut. Follow these steps for perfect chocolate sandwich cookies every time:
For the Chocolate Wafers:
1. Preheat Your Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius). This ensures your oven is at the correct temperature for even baking when your cookies are ready to go in.
2. Prepare Your Baking Sheets: Line a large cookie pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Alternatively, you can lightly spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. This prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup.
3. Mix the Cookie Dough: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, room-temperature eggs, and vegetable or canola oil. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the ingredients together on medium speed until well combined and a thick, uniform dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
4. Scoop the Cookies: Using a 2-inch cookie scoop or two spoons, portion out dough balls onto your prepared cookie pan, leaving about 1.5 to 2 inches between each cookie to allow for spreading. For perfectly round cookies, you can gently roll the scooped dough into smooth balls.
5. Bake to Perfection: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should be set around the edges but still slightly soft in the center. Avoid overbaking, as this can make the cookies dry and less chewy. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They must be completely cool before adding the filling.
For the Creamy Filling:
1. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium-sized bowl, add the softened unsalted butter, softened cream cheese, and vanilla extract. Beat these ingredients together with a hand mixer until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and free of lumps. This will create the rich base for your Oreo cream.
2. Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until it is fully incorporated and the filling becomes thick, fluffy, and spreadable. Start on a low speed to avoid a cloud of sugar, then increase to medium. Continue beating until the desired creamy consistency is achieved.
3. Assemble Your Oreo Sandwiches: Once the cookies are completely cool, take one chocolate wafer and spread a generous dollop of the cream cheese filling on its flat side using a spatula, butter knife, or even a small offset spatula. Then, gently place another chocolate wafer on top, flat side down, pressing lightly to create a classic sandwich cookie. Repeat this process with all remaining cookies and filling.
How to Store Your Delicious Homemade Oreo Cookies
Proper storage is key to keeping your homemade Oreos fresh and delicious for as long as possible. Here’s how to store any leftovers:
Countertop Storage: For the best results, place your homemade Oreo cookies in an airtight container. Store them at room temperature on your kitchen counter for up to 2-3 days. While they don’t *require* refrigeration, the cream cheese filling will be more stable and firm if kept cool.
Refrigerator Storage: To extend the freshness of these delightful copycat cookies, especially due to the cream cheese filling, place them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days. The filling will firm up in the cold, providing a chewier texture.
Freezer Storage: If you want to enjoy your homemade Oreos for an even longer period, they freeze beautifully! Place the assembled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour until firm. Once firm, transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw them at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before serving, or enjoy them frozen for a delightful chilled treat!
Expert Tips and Tricks for Perfect Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Achieve homemade Oreo perfection with these helpful tips and creative variations:
Do I need to use cream cheese in the filling?
While you don’t strictly *need* cream cheese to make a frosting, we highly recommend it for this recipe! The tangy, rich flavor of the cream cheese frosting pairs absolutely perfectly with the dark chocolate cookie wafers, creating a balanced and incredibly delicious homemade Oreo. It gives the filling a unique depth and creamy texture that a standard buttercream can’t quite replicate, leading to what we believe are the best homemade Oreos you’ll ever taste. If you’re open to new flavor experiences, give it a try!
However, if cream cheese isn’t your preference or isn’t available, you can certainly make a standard vanilla buttercream filling. To do so, simply omit the cream cheese and increase the butter to 1 cup, then beat with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. This will still result in a delicious, creamy vanilla filling for your chocolate sandwich cookies.
Explore More Delicious Filling Flavors:
Don’t stop at classic vanilla cream! Get creative with your homemade Oreos by experimenting with different filling flavors:
- Mint Cream Filling: Imagine homemade mint Oreos – fantastic! Simply add a few drops of mint extract to your cream cheese filling and, for that iconic look, a touch of green food coloring.
- Chocolate Buttercream Filling: For the ultimate chocolate lover, fold in some melted and cooled chocolate or cocoa powder into your cream cheese or buttercream base.
- Classic Vanilla Cream Filling: If you prefer a simpler, sweeter filling, stick to the original recipe but perhaps slightly increase the vanilla extract for an extra aromatic kick.
- Cookie Dough Filling: A fun and indulgent twist! Prepare an edible cookie dough (flour must be heat-treated) and use it as your sandwich filling.
- Peanut Butter Filling: For a delightful nutty flavor, beat in some creamy peanut butter into your softened butter and powdered sugar base.
- Salted Caramel Filling: Drizzle or swirl in some thick, homemade or store-bought salted caramel sauce into your vanilla filling for a sophisticated touch.
- Coffee Cream Filling: Add a teaspoon of espresso powder or strong instant coffee dissolved in a tiny bit of hot water to your filling for a mocha-flavored delight.
Do I need to buy dark cocoa powder?
Absolutely not! This is one of the best advantages of this specific recipe. By using a store-bought chocolate cake mix, you automatically get that rich, dark chocolate flavor and color in your cookies without needing to purchase specialized ingredients like Dutch-process cocoa powder. Many traditional Oreo cookie recipes call for Dutch-process cocoa because it reacts differently with baking soda to produce a darker color and milder flavor. However, the cake mix simplifies this entirely, allowing you to find everything you need at your local grocery store without extra hassle or expense.
Additional Baking Tips for Success:
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once the dry ingredients are just combined with the wet, stop mixing. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour (from the cake mix), leading to tougher cookies.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: A 2-inch cookie scoop ensures uniform cookie sizes, which is essential for creating perfectly matched sandwich cookies and ensuring even baking.
- Chilling the Dough (Optional): If your kitchen is warm or your dough seems too sticky to handle, you can chill the dough for 15-30 minutes before scooping. This can help prevent excessive spreading.
- Cool Completely: It’s critical that your chocolate wafers are completely cooled before you add the filling. If they are even slightly warm, the filling will melt and slide off, making assembly messy and difficult.
- Experiment with Textures: For a slightly softer cookie, bake closer to 10 minutes. For a firmer, snappier cookie more akin to a traditional Oreo, bake for the full 12 minutes or even a minute longer, watching carefully.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes to Try:
If you loved these homemade Oreos, be sure to explore more of our easy and delightful dessert recipes for every occasion:
- 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies
- Hot Cocoa Cookies
- Peppermint Oreo Cookies
- Cake Mix Monster Cookies
Homemade Oreos
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Ingredients
- 2 15-ounce boxes chocolate cake mix
- 4 eggs
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
Filling:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
- Line a cookie pan with parchment paper or spray it with non-stick spray.
- To a medium sized bowl, add in the chocolate cake mix, eggs, and oil. Beat well with a hand mixer until a uniform dough forms.
- Scoop 2-inch dough balls onto the prepared cookie pan, spacing them about 1.5-2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cooked. Let cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Filling:
- To a medium sized bowl, add in the softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract. Beat well with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the filling is thick and fluffy.
- Spread the filling on the flat side of one chocolate cookie and gently place another cookie over the top to make a sandwich.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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If you give these delicious homemade Oreo recipes a try, make sure to tag us on Instagram @julia.pacheco.cooking and let us know how much you liked these fantastic chocolate sandwich cookies!