Homemade Oreos

I've always been a little weary of the "homemade" versions of treats.
While homemade Samoas and Thin Mints have always looked delicious, the number of steps to the end product doesn't seem worth it. (Although at $3 a box, I might soon be reconsidering).

I ran into Homemade Oreo recipes a few times recently and thought it was time to get on the homemade bandwagon. There are two versions circulating The Thomas Keller Oreos and The Smitten Kitchen Oreos.

I went with the former, seduced by the white chocolate ganache, rolling out the dough took a little effort, but the cookie was so spot on the original. The combination with the white chocolate ganache filling was close to the storebought, but fresh and uniquely tasty. (I snuck a few before packing them up as a housewarming gift.)
These cookies got ecstatic responses from everyone who tried them and I'm sure I'll be coerced into making them again soon.
Homemade Oreos
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
15 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3/4" cubes, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces white chocolate

In a small pan, bring the cream to a boil (if you prefer, you can do it in the microwave).
Pour cream over white chocolate, let sit for a minute and then whisk until smooth.
Refrigerate.

In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low speed. With the mixer running, add the butter, a piece at a time. The mixture will look sandy, and will slowly begin to incorporate. Once it forms a dough transfer to a work surface.

Divide the dough in half. Roll each half between two large pieces of parchment paper to 1/8 inch thick. Stack the rolled sheets of dough onto a baking sheet (to keep them flat) and chill until firm, at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment (I used the same sheets that I chilled the dough in between.)

Working with one sheet of chilled dough at a time, use a round 2 to 2 1/2-inch cutter to cut the dough into rounds. Place the rounds about 1/2 an inch apart on the baking sheets. (They won't puff up.) Scraps can be rolled out again.
(I didn't have a roll cookie cutter, so I used a 2in flower cookie cutter, it worked fine.)
Bake for 12-15 minutes, let cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes then transfer to a baking sheet.

Once the cookies are completely cooled, whip up the filling with a mixer, it won't really grow in volume, but it needs to be fluffed up a little. Transfer to a piping bag/plastic baggie. Cut a small tip off the end. Pipe about a teaspoon and a half of filling onto half the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies and press down lightly. Refrigerate and enjoy.