The National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) formed in 1898 and had its first major cookie hit with Barnum’s Animal cookies, shaped like circus animals and marketed in a box shaped like a cage. But almost as soon as Oreos® were introduced by in 1912, they struck a chord with the American public and became America’s favorite cookie. Before the company started offering variations in the 1970s, the cookie remained virtually unchanged. In this homemade version, chocolate shortbread cookies are stacked with a simple vanilla frosting to make sumptuous snack cookies reminiscent of the familiar store-bought cookie.

(Makes 2 dozen sandwich cookies)

For the cookies:

1 2/3 cup organic white flour

1/3 cup organic cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup ( 1 stick) organic, unsalted butter
1/2 cup organic vegetable shortening (palm kernel oil)
2/3 cup organic sugar (evaporated cane juice)
1 egg
For the Filling:
1/4 cup organic vegetable shortening (palm kernel oil)

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups organic powdered sugar

1.) To make the dough: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whip the butter and 1/2 cup vegetable shortening with the sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in the egg and the vanilla extract, then stir in the flour mixture to form dough. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape each piece of dough into a log, about 6 inches long. Chill the logs in the refrigerator until they are firm enough to slice, about 1 hour.

2.) To bake the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 and line 2 baking sheets with baker's parchment. Cut each log of dough into 24 slices and arrange them one inch apart on the lined cookie sheets. Bake the cookies until they are slightly puffed and uniformly browned on the surface, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.

3.) To make the filling and fill the cookies: Melt the shortening with the water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the vanilla then stir in the powdered sugar and continue stirring until the mixture is very smooth and creamy. Transfer the filling to a strong freezer-type zip-lock storage bag and snip off one corner to make an impromptu piping bag. Flip half the cookies upside down. Pipe a small amount (about 1 teaspoon) of the filling onto the overturned cookies and before the filling sets, press the other cookies right-side-up on top.

Copyright, Greg Atkinson, 2007