Homemade Heart-Shaped Oreo Cookies for Wedding Favors : the perfect bite-sized dessert

Casey Barber, author of "Classic Snacks Made from Scratch", takes your favorite brand-name bites and turns them into homemade treats {70 of them to be exact}. Recently, Casey wowed everyone at a wedding with her delightful, heart-shaped twist on the homemade Oreo cookie that's in her book. It was the perfect bite-sized dessert. Today, Casey is sharing her recipe with us for the Heart-Shaped Oreo Cookies {plus, I share more on the book and the included recipes below} . . .

Heart-Shaped Oreos®

Drumroll, please. It’s hard to mess with the perfection of an Oreo, the most popular cookie in America—but that hasn’t stopped high-end chefs and home bakers alike from trying. This cookie takes a step away from softer homemade versions for an authentic cookie crunch and firm, sugary center.

Dunk ’em in milk, twist the layers apart and nibble the cream, or eat in one or maybe two big bites—all the classic eating methods apply. Want a Double Stuf Oreo? Just make twice the amount of filling and load up.

YIELD: 3 dozen filled cookies
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours, including dough chilling time
DIFFICULTY: 3
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: stand mixer, 1½-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter for classic round shapes, or a heart-shaped cookie cutter for heart cookies.

COOKIES
3 cups (12¾ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (1½ ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baked soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (a scant 1⁄3 cup)
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup (3¼ ounces) vegetable shortening
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs

FILLING
2½ cups (10 ounces) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons whole or reduced-fat milk
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

MAKE THE COOKIES:
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baked soda, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl until no lumps remain.

Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, or microwave at 15-second intervals, stirring between each burst, until liquefied. Set aside to cool slightly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light, fluffy, and creamy. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix until just combined.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms. Shape into 2 discs of roughly equal size and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until firm.

Preheat the oven to 375˚F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners.

On a floured work surface, roll one of the dough discs to ¼-inch thickness and stamp out cookie rounds, using a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Transfer the hearts to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining disc of dough.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly crispy at the edges and puffed but still pliable in the center. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

FILL THE COOKIES:
Using the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the powdered sugar, corn syrup, milk, and shortening on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 30 more seconds to whip slightly.

With the flat side of a cooled cookie facing up, spoon 1 teaspoon filling onto the center. Top with a second cookie, flat side down, spreading the filling evenly. Repeat to fill all the cookies.

Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.

If you love the Brand-Name Treats like Oatmeal Creme Pies, Entenmann's® Donuts, Hostess® Chocolate Cupcakes, Neopolitan Ice Cream Sandwiches, Creamsicles®, Sour Patch Kids®, and others - you are going to love Classic Snacks Made from Scratch. You can now have the ever-popular faved goodies but without the artificial additives and colors. Just think of the fun dessert displays you can create for bridal showers and even weddings with this cookbook. Each recipe also lets you know what special equipment {if any} is necessary - I just wish there were photos for each one. While, of course, it's not necessary because there are complete instructions with each recipe, I'm just a visual person and love to see what the finished treat should look like. But, I guess that just means each of the goodies will have our twist on them, right? Just like the featured heart oreo's above - as you could make them any cookie cutter shape you desire.

PS: While I did receive a copy of this cookbook, the views expressed in this post are completely by own. I'm looking forward to making my daughter her own goldfish crackers, but gluten free of course. I just need to figure out how to make a gluten free version of cake flour. Anybody know?