Golden Oreo Cookies (Copycat Recipe)

This homemade Golden Oreo recipe is my twist on the classic packaged vanilla sandwich cookie. Light, crispy, golden cookies sandwich a thick vanilla creme filling that's just as rich and satisfying as the original. Like my standard Oreo recipe, these are made from scratch with simple, familiar ingredients and are completely egg-free, dairy-free, and vegan friendly.

I've included a handy chart so you can customize the filling amount to suit your taste.

After finalizing my version of the classic Oreo cookie, I set out to create a Golden Oreo recipe that captures its crisp texture and sweet vanilla flavor. Using my original recipe as a base, I baked 10 batches to nail the perfect color, texture, and satisfying snap.

One key discovery was using cake flour instead of all-purpose. Its lower protein content limits gluten development, resulting in a lighter, more delicate cookie-just right for Golden Oreos.

Also, lowering the oven temperature to 300°F and baking for 15-16 minutes prevents excess browning and allows the leavening to create an ideal crisp yet tender texture.

To keep these Golden Oreos egg-free, dairy-free, and vegan like the originals, I use palm shortening in both the cookie and filling. It's solid at room temperature, neutral in flavor, and free from trans fats and hydrogenation.

The vanilla creme filling is the same thick, creamy, perfectly sweet recipe I developed for my classic Oreos. It tastes just like the store-bought version, but fresh and homemade. These cookies are more flavorful than the packaged variety, but close enough to satisfy even picky Oreo fans.

I highly recommend using a digital scale for this recipe-small differences, like a tablespoon of flour, can significantly affect texture and flavor.

If you love sandwich cookies, try these airy dulce de leche-filled Argentine alfajores, chocolate coffee mascarpone sandwich cookies, or chocolate hazelnut Baci di Alassio.

And for another homemade take on a packaged favorite, check out my copycat Nutella Biscuits!

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Ingredients

I've very thoroughly tested this recipe using the ingredients below. Each one plays a critical role in making sure these cookies turn out similar to Golden Oreos!

Cake flour - Cake flour has a lower protein content, which reduces gluten formation. This helps create a light crumb that closely matches the texture of a Golden Oreo.

You can substitute 75g of all-purpose flour for the cake flour, but note your cookies will have a mildly firmer, crunchier texture - think thin, well-baked sugar cookie rather than the airy, graham-cracker-like texture of a Golden Oreo.

Palm shortening - This recipe specifically calls for room temperature palm shortening. I use Spectrum brand palm shortening, which is sustainably sourced and ethically harvested.

Shortening is 100% fat (no water content, unlike butter), which is key to achieving both a crisp, snappy cookie and a thick cookie filling with less powdered sugar.

Its neutral flavor and bright white color allow the vanilla flavor to take center stage. It also has a higher melting point than butter, so the filling doesn't require refrigeration to stay firm.

I've also tested the cookies and the filling with Crisco, which is 100% vegetable shortening made of mostly soybean oil and some palm shortening. It works nicely in the cookie dough. I don't recommend it in the Oreo cream filling. Crisco creates a noticeably greasy mouthfeel, which isn't present with 100% palm shortening.

Granulated sugar - I like to use granulated sugar for the cookies because it's always in my pantry. Powdered sugar can create a smoother but slightly denser dough. I prefer the texture granulated sugar gives here.

Powdered sugar - Powdered sugar sweetens and thickens the homemade Oreo filling.

Corn starch - Corn starch adds lightness and a more powdery texture to the cookies. In the filling, it's a key ingredient for achieving a thick Oreo filling consistency without adding extra sweetness.

Light corn syrup - Clear, light corn syrup adds moisture (to help bind) and density to the cookies. In the filling, corn syrup adds slight chew and shine. It also helps reduce sugar crystallization so the filling stays soft longer instead of drying out.

Kosher salt - Desserts taste better with a bit of salt! I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Salt enhances the cookie flavor and helps balance the sweetness of the filling.

Imitation vanilla flavoring - To best mimic the sweet, bakery-style, vanilla-forward flavor of Oreo cookies, it's important to use imitation vanilla, which has a very specific flavor.

I feel a little strange even writing that, since 99% of the time I use pure vanilla extract in my baking. This is one exception. Feel free to substitute pure vanilla, but know it will change the taste - especially in the filling!

Baking soda - Baking soda provides a bit of leavening.

Cream of tartar - Cream of tartar is a powdered acidic leavening agent. It provides the acidity needed to activate the baking soda. It's an important ingredient that gives just enough lift to create a lighter cookie that's not too dense or crisp.

Equipment

For uniform thickness: These cookies really benefit from rolling the dough to an even thickness. The best way to do this is with a set of pastry guides. I use these acrylic guides from Fat Daddio's because I can still use my favorite rolling pin and they help achieve a crisp, uniform batch.

For perfect circles: A good set of round cutters is essential. I use this 11-piece round set because it gives you every size you could possibly need and the edges are sharp for a clean cut.

For Baking: I use and recommend these USA Pan half sheet baking pans at King Arthur Flour for their durability and consistent results.

For most cookies, a light-colored, heavy-duty aluminum pan is the best choice. It promotes even baking and prevents the bottoms from getting too dark.

For dark cookies like these, you can get away with a darker pan, but the light-colored pan is the most versatile and reliable option.

For easy filling portions: A size #110 cookie scoop portions a 1 teaspoon (5 grams) scoop of creme filling, helping keep your filled Oreos uniform in size.

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