Asphalt Cookies

They taste better than they look/sound. :)

These are essentially homemade oreos, but I was a cup of powdered sugar too short to put together the creme filling, so they won't be proper oreos until tomorrow. Today, they're asphalt cookies.

And they're awesome! :)

They get their super dark color from the black dutch processed cocoa powder - you can get it HERE! Even if you can't get your hands on the black cocoa powder, any dutch processed cocoa should do! I'm baking a test batch because I plan on making some for Halloween treats for the kiddos and the darker the cookie the better!

I used SmittenKitchen's recipe for homemade oreos - super simple! I didn't press mine as flat as she did, but I like my cookies to have a little more meat to them, so whatever floats your boat!

You Will Need:

For The Cookies:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 large egg

For The Filling:

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

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

Take rounded teaspoons of the batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately 2-inches apart. Slightly flatten the dough (it will spread out when baking!) and bake for 9 minutes, rotating once halfway. Set cookies aside to cool.

To make filling, cream butter and shortening in the bowl of a standing mixer at low speed. Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla. Turn mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.

To assemble cookies, use pastry bag to pipe teaspoon-sized blobs of cream into the center of the cookie. Place another cookie on top and lightly press, working the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. 

Dry ingredients! Look at how dark that cocoa is!

The dough once it all comes together - it's starting to look like fresh asphalt!

I do have to say this dough is super fun to work with! It's soft and not sticky - which is perfect for peeps like myself who hate having to get my paws stuck in ooey gooey doughs. 

My little cookie pucks ready to be baked!

I imagine this dough freezes well (don't all cookie doughs?) and I'd say one batch makes about 60 cookies, so 30 sandwich cookies. And once I get my hands on some powdered sugar, I'll be making orange creme filling for my Halloween Oreos!

Hope you guys had a great weekend!