The Best Homemade Oreos

These homemade Oreos taste just like the classic cookies you grew up with, only better! With two crisp, chocolatey cookies and homemade vanilla buttercream, they have all the nostalgic flavor you love (just made with simple ingredients).

Homemade Oreos

Oreos are one of the few childhood snacks I still love as an adult—the crisp, chocolatey wafers balance out the sweetness of the smooth creme filling, and they really are milk’s perfect cookie! So instead of rebranding this dessert, we’re just giving it a slight upgrade by using real vanilla, espresso, and high-quality cocoa powder.

I know this recipe has been a long time coming (TikTok comments, I promise I hear you), but I wanted to make sure it was just right before posting. So without further ado, let’s get into it!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Whenever I develop a copycat recipe, I always start with the ingredient list on the original product. Here’s a quick glance at the label for regular Oreos:

Ingredients: UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE {VITAMIN B1}, RIBOFLAVIN {VITAMIN B2}, FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, PALM OIL, SOYBEAN AND/OR CANOLA OIL, COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA AND/OR CALCIUM PHOSPHATE), SALT, SOY LECITHIN, CHOCOLATE, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.

Compared to some of the other products I’ve recreated, the ingredient list isn’t that long. For my version, though, we’ll be using mostly pantry-staple items (no high fructose corn syrup or palm oil in sight)! Here’s what you’ll need to make these at home:

• Unsalted butter and vegetable oil. For this recipe, I use a combination of butter and oil for the perfect balance of structure and moisture.
• Granulated sugar. Using regular sugar as opposed to brown sugar gives these cookies their trademark crisp exterior and light wafer texture.
• Vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste. We’ll use both vanilla extract (for the dough) and paste (for the frosting) to really elevate these cookies.
• Light corn syrup. Contrary to popular belief, light corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup are not the same thing. For this recipe, you really need an invert sugar like light corn syrup to moisturize the dough, especially since we’re not using any eggs.
• Bleached cake flour. Compared to regular flour, cake flour has a very low protein content that’s perfect for super soft and tender baked goods. And by using bleached flour, we double down on these characteristics—I go more in-depth about this topic in my Lofthouse Cookie post if you want to learn more!
• Dutch-processed and black cocoa powder. When testing this recipe, I found that using a combination of Dutch-processed and black cocoa produced the most authentic Oreo flavor. If you can’t find black cocoa in your local grocery store, you can find it on Amazon—here’s a link to my favorite brand.
• Cornstarch. When used in cakes and cookies, cornstarch reduces gluten formation for a more tender and delicate texture.
• Baking soda. To aerate and leaven the cookies.
• Salt and espresso powder. Espresso powder is totally optional for this recipe—it just helps to enhance those natural chocolate notes in the Oreos.
• Powdered sugar. To thicken and sweeten the buttercream frosting.

How to Make Homemade Oreos

If you’ve ever made a sandwich cookie, the process for these homemade Oreos is exactly the same. Here’s a quick breakdown:

1. Make the cookie dough. This recipe is pretty simple—just cream together the butter and sugar, add the vegetable oil, light corn syrup, and vanilla, then go in with your dry ingredients. I try not to overmix at this stage to prevent the cookies from getting tough.
2. Chill. I know it’s annoying, but refrigeration is essential for these cookies to prevent them from spreading in the oven. You can chill them for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days, if tightly wrapped.
3. Roll and slice. For the most authentic Oreo, the dough needs to be rolled very thinly (around 2-3 millimeters or 1/8 of an inch), which can be tricky for beginner bakers. Make sure the dough is cool while you work, and be sure to lightly dust underneath and on top of the dough to prevent any sticking while you work. I like to emboss the surface with a stamp for a fun design, then use a cookie cutter to slice and transfer the cookies to a baking sheet.
4. Bake. The wafers bake low and slow for around 15-20 minutes, until firm and matte on top—for more visual indicators, see my troubleshooting guide below!
5. Make the buttercream. While the cookies cool, we’ll whip together a super simple buttercream—its just softened butter, powdered sugar, and salt, but we’re adding a bit of vanilla bean paste for a more elevated flavor.
6. Assemble. The easiest (and most fun) part, in my opinion! Just pipe a thin layer of buttercream over one wafer and sandwich with another cookie, then enjoy.

Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQs

This recipe can be a bit tricky if you’re a basic baker, so here are some of the most common problems you might come across and their solutions.

• The dough keeps sticking when I try to roll it out. This dough is a bit trickier to work with, so you need to intermittently flour your work surface and rolling pin to ensure it doesn’t stick. If at any point the dough becomes too warm, just pop it in the freezer to let it firm up before continuing the rolling process.
• The dough is too dry/crumbly. The most likely cause of a dry dough is over-measuring your flour. I always prefer baking in grams for accuracy, but you can always add 1-2 tablespoons of milk as needed to bind the dough together.
• My cookies aren’t flat on top. Sometimes I find that these cookies form small bumps on top due to air bubbles, but you can fix most of these by gently flattening the tops with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass once out of the oven.
• My cookies are too soft after baking. Since the dough is so dark, it’s difficult to know when the cookies are done baking. I often look for other indicators—if the cookies take on a chocolatey aroma and look dry, firm, and matte on top, then they are done. If the cookies are still too soft, then no worries! Simply pop them back in the oven for a few minutes until crisp.

Storage & Freezing/Make-Ahead Instructions

• At room temperature. Any leftover cookies will last in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 1 week.
• In the freezer. For longer storage, store the assembled cookies an airtight container or plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below. Otherwise, happy baking!