Citrusy Oreo-type cookies

These are the largest oreo cookies you’ll see.  It wasn’t by design, honestly – I just got a little overzealous with the amount of dough I put on the cookie sheets.  My inspiration for these cookies came from Big Fat Baker’s blog.  Even though I’ve never been really keen on the original oreo cookies, the thought of them evokes some strong memories from growing up.  It seemed that my grandmother always had oreo cookies stashed away in the kitchen when we were over there for Sunday dinner.  I may have gotten my fill of them at an early age (as well as cottage cheese, but that’s a different story altogether), but now they don’t really excite me.  That was, until Nabisco started making a vanilla oreo.  I can polish off a bag in a few minutes.  Then they introduced another form of legal crack, the soft oreo.  I had to figure out a way to make these things.  After doing some reading of various blogs online, I came up with a game plan.  I altered the recipes I came across to make a non-chocolate cookie by adding a mix of vanilla, lemon and orange extracts.  When the product was finished, I was fairly happy (my daughter was thrilled with it).  This wasn’t bad for a first attempt, but it could use some less sugar (this is reflected in the recipe).

Cookie Dough

• 1-3/4 Cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1-1/4 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Combine the dry ingredients (except for the sugar) in a bowl
3. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together
4. Add the egg and extracts and mix well
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients and continue mixing
6. Take a walnut sized ball of cookie dough, roll it between your hands, place it on a parchment (or silpat) lined cookie sheet and press down gently to flatten.
7. Bake for 10-11 minutes, rotating the sheet half-way through to ensure even baking
8. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on a rack

Filling

• 1/2 Stick unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Cream the shortening and butter together until smooth
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl
3. Add the vanilla extract and mix
4. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy

Assembling the Cookies

1. Take a plastic piping bag and cut a hole in the end that is about 1/2 inch wide.
2. Fill the bag with the cream filling
3. Pipe an even layer on one cookie and then place the second cookie on top.
4. Eat or store in an airtight container.