On March 6, 1912, cookie history was made. Two crispy chocolate cookie discs with a sweet creme filling were released to the American public, creating a confectionery frenzy, becoming (and remaining) the most popular cookie in the United States.

That’s right, today is Oreo Cookie day.

And am I ever excited about sharing this raw oreo recipe with you, my friends!

Actually it’s two recipes for the price of one; matcha mint creme filled, and cold, frosty matcha mint chip ice cream filled.  Both fillings have four ingredients. Both are easy, both are insanely delicious.

The number of photos I take of any given recipe is almost always positively correlated with how excited I am about it. And I will tell you I took about 100 photos of these oreos. So bear with me.

I promise I won’t make you scroll through a hundred pictures of raw oreos to get to the recipe. Ain’t nobody got time for that! You’ve got minty-matcha filled rawreos to make!

Why make your own? Although traditional store-bought Oreos are considered vegan by some, they are made with palm oil, which is an ingredient we should all be avoiding due to it’s environmental and wildlife implications. Also they are chock full of refined, and most likely not technically vegan, sugar (it’s the first ingredient listed!). And quite a few other questionable ingredients like artificial flavors and high fructose corn syrup.

These raw delights, on the other hand, are gluten free, sugar free, and completely vegan (of course). Raw pecans lend a buttery taste, while dates and cacao add the perfect amount of sweetness and rich chocolate flavor to the cookie layer. The filling has a hint of matcha flavor, which is optional, but extremely tasty. Not to mention it is green and delightfully minty. Two of the main requirements for any self-respecting St. Patty’s Day treat.

(Sorry, one more photo before that recipe…)

 

Believe me, these are going to ruin you for regular Oreos (which is a good thing!). Now go get to twistin’ and dunkin’! Have a happy (and kind) Oreo day!

Matcha Mint Raw Oreos

It looks like a lot of steps, but that’s because I was trying to be super thorough. I promise it isn’t hard and doesn’t take long to whip up these treats! 

Makes about 10 – 12 cookie sandwiches depending how large you make them

Cookies:

• 1 cup raw pecans, ground into meal
• 1/2 cup raw cashews, ground into meal
• 1/3 cup raw buckwheat, ground into flour
• 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
• 6-7 medjool pitted medjool dates
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 pinches of sea salt

Option 1: Creme Filling:

• 3/4 cup coconut butter, gently warmed so it is stirable
• sweetener of choice, to taste (I used pure stevia, or you can use maple syrup or powdered organic, vegan sugar)
• A couple drops of peppermint extract
• 1 tsp matcha powder (or leave out for mint oreos)

Option 2: Ice Cream filling:

• 3 frozen very ripe bananas, pre-sliced for easier blending
• a couple drops of peppermint
• splash of non-dairy milk or spoonful of coconut cream
• 1-2 tsp of matcha powder (optional)
• Optional nice cream additions: handful of cacao nibs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, a bit of maple syrup for sweeter nice cream

Instructions:

To make the cookies:

Blend all ingredients in a food processor, until “dough” starts clumping into a large ball. Take dough from food processor, smooshing into a ball and place in the fridge in a covered container while you make the creme filling. If making the ice cream filling, then simply allow the dough to set in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

Take the dough out and lay on top of sheet of parchment paper. Lay another sheet of parchment paper on top and use a rolling pin or wine bottle to roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out rounds using a cookie cutter, or if you don’t have one, get resourceful (I used a lid from a spice bottle). Gather the scraps and roll out again until you’ve used up all the dough. Lay rounds on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and pop in the fridge until ready to assemble.

To make the creme filling:

Simply stir all of the ingredients together, adding sweetener and peppermint a little at a time until you reach the desired sweetness. I only needed two tiny drops of pure peppermint extract, a little goes a long way. Although I’m not a huge fan of the taste of stevia, and not 100% convinced it’s the healthiest way to go for sweetening (I’m more partial to dates and maple syrup) I sometimes use it in minty treats, as I find it’s cool aftertaste goes un-noticed with the peppermint. In short, I use it very seldom, but it worked great here.

To make the ice cream:

Add all ingredients to your high speed blender (I used a Vitamix with the tamper) or a good food processor). Blend until it just reaches a smooth, soft-serve ice cream texture. Don’t over-blend or it will become too soft and melty. I stirred in the cacao nibs afterwards.

Assembly:

Ice Cream Filling: I cut the corner off of a plastic freezer bag and used an icing tip to pipe the ice cream onto one cookie, topping with another cookie. Or you can simply use a spoon to dollop it on.

Creme Filling: I used a knife to spread the coconut butter cream filling onto one cookie, and then topped with the another. It may ooze out a little if the coconut butter mixture is very soft. You can always cool it in the fridge to harden it up, but don’t leave it in too long or it will be too hard to spread.

Store creme filled oreos in refrigerator or freezer. Store ice cream oreos in freezer only.

Notes and variations:

To make plain, raw oreos, simply leave out the mint and the matcha powder. Be sure to add a little vanilla to the filling.

It isn’t necessary, but I prefer using soaked and dehydrated nuts and buckwheat for raw treats, as I find the dough can be a bit oily otherwise, especially when using pecans. Also soaking and dehydrating is better for digestion.