Deep Fried Oreos and Twinkies

October 25: National Greasy Foods Day

“Grease” is definitely the word!!! How appropriate that the popular musical movie of the same name ended with a festive carnival scene (which had greasy foods on set).

We ourselves enjoy going to festivals, state fairs, fiestas and rodeos throughout the year. Besides the carnival rides, entertainment, vendor booths and free product samples, there is a lot of food, especially fried, greasy ones! The usual fair fare includes corn dogs, funnel cakes, French fries, onion rings, churrosand fried chicken/fish/shrimp/ribs and more. But chefs have gotten really creative with deep fried Oreos, Twinkies, cheesecake, hand pies (empanadas, pasties or turnovers), candy bars, ice cream and even butter!

We tried a few of these greasy grub out of curiosity but realize these are not for the health-conscious so we rarely eat them anymore at the festivals. But for the purpose of our blog, we deep fried a few Oreos and Twinkies in observance of National Greasy Foods Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from AllRecipes.com)

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1 ½ cups pancake mix
  • Oreos and Twinkies (cold)
  • Frying oil
  • Powdered sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, beat the egg with milk and oil. Stir in the pancake mix until the batter is smooth and lump-free.

Dip the Oreos/Twinkies in the batter, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Deep fry in 375 degrees F oil. Avoid overcrowding. Flip the Oreos/Twinkies to the other side and fry for another few minutes. Remove from the oil when they are golden brown. Drain the grease out from the Oreos/Twinkies on paper towels.  Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Eat while still hot.

Notes

  • This recipe is the basic batter for most deep fried fare food. Try dipping small slices of frozen cheesecake and cold candy bars on sticks. Be careful when deep frying them to avoid oil splatters.
  • Some food vendors drizzle melted chocolate over the deep fried Oreos and Twinkies.
  • Thanks to Karen B. for the paper food trays that we used to serve and photograph our greasy grub above.

Oreo Birthday Cookie Pops

Oreo Birthday Cookie Pops

March 6: Nabisco (National Biscuit Company) launched in 1912

The Oreo cookie turns 100 on March 6, 2012! The ubiquitous sandwich cookies with the creamy center are a favorite among many children—including kids-at-heart like us. Nabisco, a division of Kraft Foods, was launched in 1912 with its most famous cookie product—the Oreo. Although we have eaten Oreos out of the package plain with a tall glass of milk, we especially enjoy decorating them into extra special desserts, like birthday cookie pops. Whether plain or prepared as pretty treats, Oreos are fun to eat! Happy birthday, Oreos!

Recipe

(Inspired by Kraft)

Ingredients

Directions

Twist and separate the Oreo cookies. Squeeze the white tube frosting (“adhesive”) in the middle of one cookie and place a lollipop or popsicle stick on it. Sandwich with the other cookie. Freeze for a few minutes to set the frosting.

Oreo Birthday Cookie Pops

Meanwhile, slowly melt the chocolate or candy melts over a double boiler. Coat the Oreos in the melted chocolate/candy, tapping off the excess. Sprinkle with colorful non-pareils. Stand the Oreo pops by sticking them on a styrofoam or wood base with holes. Refrigerate to firm up the candy coating. Serve as is or cover each cookie pop in a treat bag and tie with a decorative ribbon.

Oreo Birthday Cookie Pops

Notes

  • We used Oreos to make Mickey Mouse pops as well as turkey cookies with candy corn. Crushed Oreos can be made into crumb crusts for pies.
  • Work quickly when coating the Oreos so the frosting “adhesive” between the filling does not melt. Otherwise, the coating will be too heavy and the cookie will slide off the stick (see our Food Flops page).

Turkey Cookies

Turkey Cookies

November: Thanksgiving

Guests are guaranteed to “gobble gobble” up turkey cookies on Thanksgiving! These too-cute cookies are combined with candy to create the famous fowl. And they are photogenic, festive and a favorite for fall functions. It has been our tradition now to take these treats to Thanksgiving gatherings where the hosts are happy to have an alternate dessert to pies at their buffet table. The main parts of the original turkey cookie include Oreos, candy corn and chocolate peanut butter cups held together with frosting. We modified ours with round Nutter Butters, caramel candy corn and marzipan balls secured with peanut butter. Make both versions when you gather together with family and friends for Thanksgiving. They will be grateful for your generosity in sharing these turkey cookies!

Recipe

(Adapted from Coopet Photography)

For each Oreo turkey cookie

  • 2 Oreo cookies (Double Stuff recommended)
  • 1 Reese’s mini peanut butter cup, refrigerated
  • 1 Hershey’s Whopper malted milk ball
  • 6 candy corn
  • 1 mini chocolate chip
  • white frosting
  • chocolate frosting
  • black gel tube icing
  • orange tube icing

Directions

Carefully pull apart one of the Oreo cookies. Gently press the candy corn onto the “double stuff” to make a fan-tail shape. Spread white frosting on the other half of the Oreo cookie. Press together. Refrigerate to set.

Turkey Cookies

Unwrap the chilled Reese’s mini peanut butter cup. Slice a small section off the side for the body of the turkey cookie. Use chocolate frosting to secure the wide side of the Reese’s to the Oreo turkey tail and the sliced flat bottom to the other Oreo cookie base. Put a small amount of chocolate frosting on a Whopper to secure the head of the turkey.

Turkey Cookies

Carefully dab the flat end of a mini chocolate chip with frosting and position it on the Whopper for the turkey beak. Using a small round tip, pipe the eyeballs with white frosting, pressing down lightly with your fingertip on the white points. Dab black gel icing on top of the white eyeballs. Finish the feet details with orange tube icing.

Turkey Cookies

For each Nutter Butter turkey cookie

  • 2 round Nutter Butter cookies
  • 1 potato-shaped marzipan
  • Reese’s Whopper peanut butter-flavored malted milk ball
  • 6 caramel candy corn
  • 1 mini chocolate chip
  • peanut butter, chilled
  • white frosting
  • chocolate frosting
  • black gel tube icing
  • orange tube icing

Directions

Carefully pull apart one of the round Nutter Butter cookies. Gently press the caramel candy corn onto the peanut butter filling to make a fan-tail shape. Spread peanut butter on the other half of the Nutter Butter cookie. Press together. Refrigerate to set.

Turkey Cookies

Flatten with your fingers the bottom of a potato-shaped marzipan. Use peanut butter to secure a Whopper on the marzipan for the head of the turkey. Generously slather on peanut butter on the bottom of the Nutter Butter turkey tail and place on other Nutter Butter cookie base. Secure with more peanut butter and add the marzipan-Whopper body.

Turkey Cookies

Carefully dab the flat end of a mini chocolate chip with frosting and position it on the Whopper for the turkey beak. Using a small round tip, pipe the eyeballs with white frosting, pressing down lightly with your fingertip on the white points. Dab black gel icing on top of the white eyeballs. Finish the feet details with orange tube icing.

Turkey Cookies

Notes

  • The date of Thanksgiving varies annually. In the United States, it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada, it is observed the second Monday of October.
  • Thanks to Lisa L. for sending us our first batch of potato-shaped marzipan from Germany. We also found them at World Market here in America.
  • The round Nutter Butter cookies and peanut butter-flavored malted milk balls are available at Walgreens.
  • Use red tube icing to make the turkey wattle (optional).
  • Experiment with different colors and flavors of candy corn for the turkey tail.
  • Thanks to Islander’s brother, Kahuna, for creating the turkey cookies video tutorial above. It is our first YouTube post!