Holiday Sugar Rush: Homemade Oreos

Since we're already on a cake mix cookie kick, we'll just keep up the trend, at least for another recipe. Everyone probably has a recipe for these. Or at least everyone has tasted them before. Nothing can compare to a soft, homemade Oreo cookie. This is the way I've been making these for years. They always turn out so chewy and delicious. I love making them small to get some tasty little bites of Oreo. It's the way to do it. :)

Soft Homemade Oreos

1 chocolate cake mix {I like German chocolate, but devil's food is pretty good, too}
3/4 cup {1 1/2 sticks} melted butter
2 large eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all ingredients together until cake mix is completely moistened. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes or until firm. Form the dough into walnut size {or smaller if you are like me and like small little Oreos} balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet two inches apart and bake for 6-8 minutes. They may not look quite done when you take them out - they'll still be just a little raw. Leave them on the sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. This helps make sure you get soft, chewy cookies.

Oreo Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese {half 8oz package}, softened
1/4 cup {1/2 stick} butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb {between 3-4 cups} powdered sugar

Directions:
Place the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and two cups powdered sugar in a bowl. Mix together until smooth. Continue adding powdered sugar 1/2 at a time until you get the consistency you want.

And then comes the tricky part:
Assemble Oreos by spreading frosting on one cookie and topping with another. Delicious!

If you want to make these even more festive, you could add some peppermint or mint extract to the frosting. Add it with the vanilla - put between 1/2 and 1 tsp, depending on your preference.
You could also add some finely crushed peppermint before spreading onto the cookies.
Another yummy option would be adding a few teaspoons of orange zest & freshly squeezed juice to the frosting before spreading. Yum!