The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book - Camilla V. Saulsbury [58]
Bake for 7–9 minutes or just until just set at centers. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.
Combine the cream cheese, honey, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Spread filling generously on the bottoms of half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, flat sides down, gently pressing together.
MAKES ABOUT 22 SANDWICH COOKIES.
BIG BROWNIE BUTTERCREAM “PIES”
It took me a long time to get these dreamy treats exactly as I wanted them—loaded with chocolate chips and rich with buttercream. If time is an issue, you can always substitute ready-to-spread frosting for the homemade filling, but if you have the time, the buttercream is well worth the effort.
1 (19.5- to 19.8-ounce) package brownie mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Filling:
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine brownie mix, oil, eggs, and 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Shape dough into 24 balls (about 1½ inches). Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with your palm or a spatula.
Bake for 12–14 minutes, until set at edges and just barely set at center when lightly touched. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheets. Transfer to wire racks with metal spatula and cool completely.
Prepare the filling while the cookies cool. Beat the butter with electric mixer in a large mixing bowl for 2 minutes, scraping sides with a rubber spatula. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat for 2–3 minutes longer; scrape down sides of the bowl and beat for an additional 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer, add the remaining chocolate chips, and mix for 30 seconds to combine.
Place half of the cookies, top side down, onto wax paper. Spoon 3 tablespoons of filling onto center of each cookie. Place remaining cookies top side up onto the filling to make a sandwich. Gently but firmly press down on the top cookie to spread the filling to the edges. Serve immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and store in tightly sealed plastic container.
MAKES 12 BIG PIES.
BIG BUNNY COOKIE
Be sure to include this at your next Easter gathering. Bake the big cookie ahead of time and have the kids decorate, if you like. To make decorating this fun and yummy cookie extra easy, place the different decorations and candies in each cup of a muffin tin.
1 (16.5-ounce) roll refrigerator sugar cookie dough, well chilled
1 cup canned strawberry or other pink cake frosting
¾ cup shredded coconut
Assorted small candies
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil; spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Cut the cookie roll crosswise into thirds. pat 1 portion into a 5-inch circle on the bottom half of the lined sheet, to form the bunny’s head.
Position the remaining 2 portions of dough atop head, and pat into two 7-inch-long bunny ears, connecting the ears to the bunny head.
Bake for 13–16 minutes or until edges are golden and center is just barely set. Carefully transfer bunny cookie to a flat surface or wire rack by lifting foil from cookie sheet. Cool completely before decorating.
Spread frosting over bunny to within 1 inch of edges; sprinkle with coconut. Use candies to decorate bunny’s face as desired.
MAKES 12 TO 14 SERVINGS.
BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES
Whatever the occasion, an offering of elegant cookies at the end seems to make any meal—from a simple barbecue to a salad supper to a classic afternoon tea with friends—more special. This ebony and ivory offering fits the bill in high style.
1 (19.5- to 19.8-ounce) package brownie mix
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1½ cups white