👩🏼‍🍳 Soft Sandwich Cookies

For Cookies:

4 tsp Meringue powder
4 tbsp Water

1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, soft

1 cup Sugar

1 tbsp Vanilla extract 

3 tbsp Heavy cream 

1 cup All purpose flour 

1 2/3 cups White cake flour 

2 tsp Baking powder 

2/3 tsp Salt (fine table)

For Filling:

2 cups Confectioners sugar

1/2 cup Shortening
3/4 tsp Vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp Almond extract

1/8 tsp [Pinch] Salt (fine, table)  

1/4 cup Cold water

This cookie dough can be pre-made up to 5 days before baking, just keep tightly wrapped and chilled. Note there is dairy in the dough so you don't want to keep it longer than a week unless you are freezing it.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Begin with whisking your dry ingredients (flours, salt, baking powder) in a bowl. Set aside to be used later.

In a separate bowl, mix your Meringue powder with the 4 tablespoons of water until frothy. Mix in butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and cream. Blend until your get a thick creamy texture. Add the flours mixture and mix until smooth. If you would like to keep this dough for later use, wrap it tightly in plastic or place in a plastic container and keep in the fridge up to 5 days. 

To bake cookies, scoop onto lined cookie placing each 2in ball about 2in apart. Bake for about 11/ 12 minutes until til bottoms of cookies are a golden brown. Use a cookie emboss/press tool to flatten the cookies soon after removing from oven. Cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes.

For the filling whip the shortening, add sifted confectioners sugar, extracts (feel free to play around with flavors and substitute the almond for mint or orange or maybe even lemon extracts) and your pinch of salt. Add your water a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired frosting consistency. 

Once your cookies are cooled and your filling is bagged (in a piping or sandwich bag) it's time to assemble your sandwich cookies!! Pair up your cookies by size. I do this first otherwise I personally end up with odd matches. Pipe onto the bottom of the cookie, flatten it out with a spatula or back of a spoon before placing your other cookie on top. Gently press down to stick them together. You want to make sure you flatten that frosting down so it doesn't poke up the center of that second cookie and cause a crumbly mess for you. Now once you have all your cookies done up remember the final and most important step... Taste test!!! 

These cookies did not last a day in my household. Made them late at night and they were gone by supper time the following day. I will be trying out a lemon and chocolate version of these next. Subscribe for updates! Thank you. 💕