Homemade Oreos - Gluten Free

They look more like a whoopie pie than an oreo, but the recipe claims that they are not meant to replace the oreo - merely the combination of flavors is inspired by the favorite processed cookie. Well, this American staple happens to be my husband's absolute favorite treat. He would like nothing more than a bowl full of crushed oreos soaking in milk (or ice cream). So for his birthday, I thought I would do him one better than just the packaged kind. I decided to go all out and home-make him his favorite. :) And I wanted to make them gluten free so I could share as well.

I hurried home from work on his birthday to bake them before we headed out to dinner. The cookies greeted him as he came into the house and he scarfed one (two? maybe) up immediately. We had some more after a lovely dinner. Karl said he liked them after they had been sitting with their cream filling for a few hours. The icing filling softened them up a bit. Anyone like a slightly stale oreo too? I always preferred mine softer, which seemed to happen after leaving the bag open for a day or two...

You can definitely tell these are homemade - but they do the trick!

I used the cookbook I have mentioned before, Gluten-Free Baking Classics, by Annalise G. Roberts. I will be making these again - and hopefully sooner than Karl's next birthday.

Cream Filled Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups Brown Rice Flour Mix *
1/4 cup sweet rice flous
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 tsp/ salt

My creamed filling: from Firecracker Whoopie Pie filling
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. heavy cream

1. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed in large bowl until light and creamy. (I used a regular hand held mixer - but the directions mention the standing mixer.) Add egg and vanilla and beat well.

2. Add flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt; mix until a soft, smooth dough is formed.

3. Divide dough into two equal halves. Drop first half in small mounds across a large sheet of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over the dough and shape into a long, 1-inch diameter log, leaving plastic open at the ends. Twist ends and flatten dough at each end. Try to smooth log by rolling back and forth on counter. Repeat with second half of dough. Refrigerate both rolls until well chilled.

(This is when I took my shower and got gussied up for my date!)

4. Preheat the oven to 350. Position rack in center of oven. Lightly grease cookie sheet with cooking spray. (My dad got me a mister for Christmas. You put whatever oil you want in it and it sprays it out - with some pumping. So I have been using olive oil for all my baking-spraying and it has been working out well!)

5. Using a thin, sharp knife, slice chilled dough into 1/8 inch-thick slices and place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake in center of oven for about 9 minutes or until cooked through. Cool slightly on cookie sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

6. To make Cream Filling: straight from Firecracker Whoopie Pie Filling
To make the filling, whip the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.  Mix in the confectioners’ sugar and salt, and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla and heavy cream on low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.

The cookbook suggests using a filling made with vegetable shortening, which Karl detests because it is hydrogenated.

7. Spread filling on one side of a cookie and cover with another cookie. Store in airtight container. After three days, store cookies in refrigerator. They can be kept in the refrigerator for two weeks or frozen for up to one month.

**Gluten free flour blend:
2 parts (2 cups) brown rice flour, 2/3 part (2/3 cup) potato starch, and 1/3 part (1/3 cup) tapioca flour.

Happy couple...tummies full of GF homemade oreos :)