Root Beer Float Cookies

Root Beer Float Cookies | Bakewell Junction

I have so many recipes pinned from my favorite bloggers that I want to try.  I think I’ll be a hundred years old by the time I try them all.  I’m sharing this one that I’ve wanted to make for a few months now from Joan at Chocolate, Chocolate and More.  My cookies turned out bigger than Joan’s did and I don’t think there was enough of a root beer flavor so the next time I make them I’ll add another teaspoon of flavoring and double the filling.  The cookies were delicious otherwise.

I think this would be a great recipe for Christmas cookie sharing and since this is the first week of 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats, it’s perfect timing.

Brenda from Meal Planning Magic hosts 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats and I hope you’ll join us this year.  I’ve participated for the last two and had a great time each year.

Enjoy!

Root Beer Float Cookies

Yield:  20 cookie sandwiches                 Cook Time:  8 to 12 minutes

Ingredients:

Cookie Dough:

• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons root beer concentrate (add an additional teaspoon, optional)
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 2 eggs

Filling:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons shortening (I substituted butter)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons cream or milk

Step 1:  For the cookie dough:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.  Cream butter and root beer concentrate (shake before measuring) for about four minutes.  Gradually add sugar and beat another two minutes.  Scrape down bowl as needed.  Beat in eggs one at time; ensuring that each is completely combined before the next is added.

Step 2:  Add flour mixture in small batches until incorporated.  Portion the dough into 40 equally sized portions.  Drop onto a parchment lined baking sheet about two inches apart.  Flatten the tops of the cookie slightly.  Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 12 minutes.  I needed to bake for 12 minutes to cook completely.  Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.  Repeat for the remaining dough portions.

Step 3:  For the filling:  You can double the amounts if you want a thicker filling.  As the cookies cool, beat butter and shortening (if using) in a medium bowl.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Mix in the powder sugar slowly so as not to have it flying all over the place.  Add 1 tablespoon of the milk or cream before completely adding the powdered sugar if the mixture becomes too dry.  Based on desired consistency, add up to 1 additional tablespoon of milk or cream.  Since I wanted a thick filling, I used the least amount of milk possible – about 1/3 tablespoon.

Step 4:  Pair similar sized and shaped cookies.  Divide the filling into 20 portions.  Spread a portion on the bottom of one cookie pair and top with the other cookie of the pair.  Repeat for all the cookie pairs.

Storing:  Store in a sealed plastic container for a few days.

Enjoy!!!

Recipe adapted from Joan at Chocolate, Chocolate and More.

This post may also be entered in these linky parties.  Click the here to visit the other great posts in the blog hops.

You can find out all about the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats by clicking here for more information and details about joining in.
If you’re a blogger, be sure to check the guidelines, join the challenge and then link up your own post each week.

And everyone, don’t forget to check out all the recipes at Meal Planning Magic for even more inspiration!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough filled Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough filled Chocolate Sandwich Cookie | Bakewell Junction

I had heard that there was a new chocolate chip cookie dough filled version of the original Oreo.  I hadn’t been able to find any in the local stores until finally a couple of weeks ago the A&P had them on sale.  I bought two packages and brought them home thinking I would just devour them.  I waited until my hubby was home, so we could try them together.  Well, we were so disappointed.  I wasn’t thrilled and the hubby didn’t like them.  I put them in the fridge and the hubby thought they tasted a little better but he still wouldn’t buy them again.  I set out to find a homemade replacement and failed but still found a really great cookie.  The cookies weren’t crisp enough to replace Oreos.

This cookie is chocolatey and you get to make the filling as thick as you want it.  I made them for my cousins’ visit over Labor Day Weekend and they loved them.  I promise you will too.  I barely had a chance to take a picture before they were gone.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough filled Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Yield:  20 cookie sandwiches                 Cook Time:  8 minutes

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling:

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 – 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli’s mini chips)

Step 1:  Line a cookie sheet pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Step 2:  Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  In another large bowl, beat butter on high for a minute.  Scrape down sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the sugars on medium to incorporate.  Mix in egg and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and mix in on low until incorporated.  Cover dough and transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.

Step 3:  Divide dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator.  For the dough that is out of the fridge, divide it into twenty equal pieces (about 2 teaspoons apiece).  Roll each piece into a ball and place on the cookie sheet in 4 by 5 rows.  Flatten each ball of dough and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes.  Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.  Cool on racks.  Repeat for the remaining dough in the refrigerator.

Step 4:  Since my cookies weren’t crisp enough after they were completely cool (probably due to the extreme humidity), I pre-heated the oven to 200 degrees and transferred the cookies on the racks into the oven and baked for 20 minutes and let them sit in the oven with the door open until it cooled.  This made the cookies a bit crisp for a short time until the humidity took over.

Step 5:  For the filling:  Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.  Melt butter in a medium sauce pan on low heat.  Using a wooden spoon stir the sugars into the melted butter until the butter begins to melt.  Continue stirring until the sugars are mostly melted.  You will be able to tell when that is by tapping the bottom of the pan with the wooden spoon – the crunching sound will be diminished.  Transfer the butter mixture to a bowl and with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar mixture for about five minutes.  Mix in vanilla and then flour in small batches.  Stir in milk until desired consistency is attained.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Let cool completely.

Step 6:  Divide dough into twenty equal pieces.  Match up cookies based on size.  Place cookie dough between two match cookies and compress so the dough squeezes towards the edges of the cookie.  Repeat for remaining cookies.  Serve chilled.

Enjoy!

Chocolate chip cookie dough filling recipe adapted from Food Network, courtesy of George Duran.  Cookie adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Tips:  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Italian Finger Sandwich Butter Cookies

Italian Finger Sandwich Butter Cookie | Bakewell Junction

The last few days were unseasonably warm and a lot of the snow has melted.  Happy day!  The eight foot piles are down to about four feet.  Today the cold weather is back.

I’ve said this before but it bears repeating…I love recreating recipes that are purchased from bakeries or pre-packaged from the supermarket.  A couple of weeks ago I shared Italian Butter Cookies with you and now I’d like to share Italian Finger Sandwich Butter Cookies.  The dough was a little thick for piping, although I did not puncture the Ziploc bag while piping the dough, my hands did get tired.

This is another recipe from The Italian Bakery book by Lee Mangione Cirillo.  I think everyone has seen the sandwich butter cookies in bakeries.  Most of the time they are filled with jam or preserves but sometimes they are filled with chocolate which is what I chose to do because my hubby loves the chocolate version.  These are a tender and delicious cookie – you won’t be able to stop at just one.  Which version would you and your family prefer?

Italian Finger Sandwich Butter Cookies

Yield:  80 individual cookies                  Cook Time:  7 minutes

Dough:

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) butter, room temperature or softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 eggs (for 1/2 an egg, beat an egg in a small bowl; take 1 1/2 tablespoons to equal 1/2 an egg)
• 2 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• green (30 drops), red (40 drops) or yellow (optional)

Filling and Garnish:

• jam (about an 8 ounce jar)
• coconut, shredded
• chopped nuts
• 3 ounces chocolate chips, melted with 1 to 3 tablespoons shortening (double if sandwiching with chocolate)
• sprinkles
• powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
• additional chocolate for drizzle (optional)

Directions:

Step 1:  For the dough:  In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar for 5 minutes at medium speed.  Combine egg yolks, vanilla and food coloring (if using) with butter mixture and mix until completely combined.  Mix in baking powder and flour at low speed.

Step 2:  The original recipe specified “Using star tip #4 “s” tube, pipe out in 2″ bars on greased baking pan.” but since I don’t have those particular items, I used a Ziploc bag, cut off one corner (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch opening) and piped the dough onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  My cookies were about 3 to 4 inches long and I got about 80 cookie bars which turned into 40 cookie sandwiches  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes.  I needed to bake for 7 minutes.  Cool completely on racks.

Step 3:  Filling and Garnish:  Melt 3 ounces of chocolate in the microwave in two or three 30 second increments.  Add shortening and microwave for 20 seconds. Mix thoroughly.  I found that 1 tablespoon of shortening was enough per 3 ounces of chocolate.  Place desired garnishes in small bowls.

Step 4:  Once cookies are completely cooled (it’s better to wait overnight because they are very tender), pair the cookie bars together based on length and shape.  Dip the flat bottom side of the cookie into the melted chocolate or spread with jam.  Top with the flat side of the paired cookie.  Dip one end of cookie sandwich into the melted chocolate on all sides.  While the chocolate is still soft on the end of the cookie, dip chocolate end into garnishes until covered.  Place on wax paper or parchment until dry.  Let garnishes set before storing.

Storing:  Store in a sealed plastic container for a few days.

Note:  The pastry star tube is the large commercial size and may be purchased at any restaurant or baking supply house.  4 “S” – 3/8 inch opening.  Use a No. 12 inch pastry bag; cut opening to fit large pastry tube.

Enjoy!!!

Recipe minimally adapted from The Italian Bakery book by Lee Mangione Cirillo.

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