Go Back
–+ servings
Three rows of vanilla sandwich cookies stuffed with vanilla creme.
Print

Golden Oreo Cookies

This homemade Golden Oreo recipe is my version of the classic treat. With sweet vanilla cookies and a thick vanilla-forward Oreo creme filling, these cookies capture all the familiar flavor with a fresher, richer taste. I set out to match the ingredients of the originals as closely as possible, so these are also egg-free, dairy-free, and completely vegan. Satisfy your urge for these iconic cookies with this straightforward version, created entirely from scratch using familiar ingredients.
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 44 sandwiches - double that many round cookies at 1¾ in (4.4 cm) each
Author Kathleen Culver

Equipment

Ingredients

Golden Oreo Cookies

Metric - US

Instructions

Golden Oreo Cookies

  • Preheat oven to 300° Fahrenheit (150° Celsius, Gas mark 2) with a rack in the center of the oven.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, corn starch, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar. Set aside.
    168 grams cake flour, 72 grams cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ + ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat palm shortening and sugar together on medium-low until well combined. Scrape bowl down several times between mixing to fully incorporate.
    96 grams palm shortening, 125 grams granulated sugar
  • Add corn syrup and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated. Scrape bowl.
    26 grams (20 mL) corn syrup, 20 mL imitation vanilla extract
  • Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until dough comes together, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scrape down bowl as needed to incorporate all flour.
  • Gather dough together and divide into 2 equal portions.
    Working with smaller portions of dough means you’ll extract more usable cutouts from each roll. This reduces re-rolling, which can activate more gluten and make the dough tougher. It can also lead to air in the dough, which creates bubbles when baked.
  • Roll one portion between two sheets of parchment paper until ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. I use pastry guides to ensure precise thickness. Remove top layer of parchment.
  • Use a round cookie cutter to cut cookies into 1¾ inch (4.5 cm) circles.
    If dough is warm and soft, chill in freezer for 2-3 minutes before transferring cutouts to baking sheet. This will help the cutouts retain their round, flat shape.
  • Slide a small offset spatula under each cutout to loosen and transfer to a light colored baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place about ½ inch apart.
    I can fit 24 cookies on a half sheet pan.
  • Bake one pan at a time for 15-16 minutes. Cookies should be set, no longer glossy, and barely golden. Fully cool cookies on baking sheet.
  • Repeat with second portion of dough.
  • Gather all scraps into a ball and roll again until all dough has been used.
  • Mix one batch of homemade oreo cream filling according to recipe instructions.

Assembly

  • Using a #110 scoop or a teaspoon, scoop a leveled amount of filling out of the bowl. Using your hands, roll it into a small ball. It should weigh 5 grams.
    Standard Golden Oreo cookies have about 4 grams of filling per cookie. I prefer a bit more filling, so I've bumped it up to 5 grams per cookie.
  • Turn a cookie upside down and place the ball of filling in the center. Place another cookie right-side-up on top of the filling and press gently.
  • Pick the cookie up and turn it sideways so you can see the filling (this will help you press the filling evenly.) Gently press using both hands until the filling is the same thickness as one of the cookies. It won't quite extend to the edges.
  • Repeat process until all cookies are filled.

Notes

  • No mixer? You can mix the dough by hand with a spoon. The shortening and sugar mixture doesn't need to be creamed and fluffy, just very well combined. 
  • I use imitation vanilla extract here (I know, weird!) rather than pure vanilla extract in order to best mimic store bought Oreo flavor. You can use pure vanilla, but it won't give the same sweet bakery-like vanilla flavor.
  • 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.
  • If your dough doesn't come together when it's fully mixed, use your hands to squeeze it together into clumps. Working the dough just a bit will help warm up the palm shortening enough for the dough to bind into one ball.
  • I use a 1¾ inch (4.5 cm) round cookie cutter, which is almost exactly the same size as a real Oreo.
  • If your rolled dough is beginning to soften up and the cutouts are too soft to transfer, place the dough on a baking sheet in the freezer for about 2 minutes - just long enough to firm it up a little.
  • When done, the cookies should be set, no longer glossy, and barely golden.
  • The cookies are fragile straight from the oven and will firm up significantly as they cool. Resist the urge to move them too soon. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet first.
  • The dough can be made ahead. Wrap it well and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, defrost in the fridge, then let come to room temperature before rolling.
  • Store filled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • While delicious served immediately, these cookies benefit from resting overnight once filled. The filling firms up nicely, and the flavors deepen, creating a more balanced texture and taste without losing that classic twist-apart quality.
  • Custom filling amounts: For a batch that yields 44 cookies, use ¾x the filling for Thins, 1.5x for Double Stuf, 2x for Mega Stuf, and 2.5x for Most Stuf. Refer to my customizable filling chart for a visual reference.
  • Custom filling flavors: For instructions on adapting the Oreo cream filling into flavors like chocolate, lemon, matcha and mocha, see the custom filling flavors section of the Oreo cream filling recipe.