Oreo Cookie Clone Recipe

Combine the cookie ingredients in a large bowl. Add the water a little bit at a time until the dough forms. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface roll out a portion of the dough to just under one 16th of an inch thick. To cut, use a lid from a spice container with a 1 1/2-inch diameter (Schilling brand is good).

Arrange the cut dough rounds on a cookie sheet that is sprayed with a light coating of non-stick spray. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove wafers from the oven and cool completely. As the cookies bake, make the filling (below) When the cookies have cooled, roll a small portion (heaping 1/4 teaspoon) of the filling into a ball (just over 1/4-inch in diameter), and press it between two of the cookies. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

*This is an optional step to help recreate the color of the original cookie. If you do not use the paste food coloring be sure to change the amount of water added to the wafer cookies from 3 tablespoons to 1/4 cup. The food coloring gives the cookies the dark brown, almost black color. The coloring can be found with cake decorating supplies at art supply and craft stores.

Filling: Soften 1 envelope unflavored gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water; set in heatproof cup in pan, simmering until clear. Cream together shortening, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Add cooled gelatin. Beat 10 minutes. It seems like it would be easier to pipe this from a pastry tube rather than spoon it onto the cookies. Press cookies gently together to spread the filling.