Peppermint Oreos

Over Thanksgiving we had some great friends stay with us.  On one desperate trip to Wal-mart we came across Candy Cane Oreos.  They were amazing and gone within minutes (desperate times call for desperate measures!) So, the next time we were at a store, we searched them out only to come up empty handed.  That got me thinking, why not just make our own.  Homemade is ALWAYS better.  Well, the days went fast and the nights went faster and we never got back to those Candy Cane Oreos.  But I have been thinking about them ever since and have FINALLY gotten to them.  I wanted to take my homemade Oreos to another level. So I found this recipe over at Smitten Kitchen.  I, of course, had to alter it to make it Peppermint (and a couple of other adjustments) but I made a few the original way too.  Let me just say, these are the real deal! A true homemade Oreo. So go ahead and skip Wal-mart (I know we all have a secret love/hate relationship with it anyway) and just go for the REAL thing!

Peppermint Oreos (and original too)
(25-30 sandwich cookies)

For the chocolate cookies:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 T butter, at room-temperature
1 large egg

For the filling: (peppermint)
1/4 cup butter, at room-temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract*
1 t peppermint extract
1 crushed candy cane (or 5 small candy canes)

*For original Oreos increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons and omit the peppermint extract and candy canes.

Preheat oven to 375.

In a food processor, or the bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar.  While on low speed, add the butter and then the egg. Continue mixing until  the dough comes together in a mass.

Place rounded teaspoons of dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.  Flatten the dough balls slightly.  Bake for 7-9 minutes until the tops look cracked. Cool completely.

To make the filling, place butter and shortening in a bowl and on low speed gradually add the sugar and extracts.  Once these are all incorporated, turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until the filling his light and fluffy.  Stir in the crushed candy canes, if using.

To assemble the cookies, place teaspoon sized blobs of filling in the middle of one cookie and top with another.  (I used a baggie with one corner snipped off to pipe the filling on.) Press down gently until the filling comes to the edges of the cookie.  Continue with the remaining cookies.  Now, go grab yourself a huge glass of cold milk and dip away!