Triple Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

These little sandwich cookies are easy to make a absolutely delicious.  They also store well and taste great up to a week after making.  I hope you enjoy!

Chocolate Cookies
Makes 30 cookies (15 sandwiches)

1/2 c. butter, chilled and cubed
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
2 Tbls. dutch processed cocoa powder
1/4 c. sugar
Nutella
Melted chocolate chips
 
Put butter, flour & cocoa in a food processor.  Process until mixture is crumbly.  Add sugar and process again until mixture forms a dough.  Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly (note:  the dough will be very crumbly).  Put in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut in small bars.  Placed on parchment lined cookie sheet.  Prick each cookie with a fork.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack. 

For Topping:

Melt 1 package of chocolate chips over a double boiler until spreadable consistency.


To Assemble:

Spread desired amount of Nutella on one cookie.  Top with second cookie.  Top with melted chocolate.  When all are assembled place in freezer for a couple of minutes to set the chocolate. 

When Life Gives You Lemons....

Hold fast your dreams.  Push aside the naysayers.  Don't let anything stand in the way of your dreams.  All great advice.  Advice that is not easy to follow especially when the naysayer is someone you love.  My dream?  To go to pastry school.  This week I realized that someone I thought supported me in this dream does not.  Not only doesn't support me but tried to crush my happiness by calling my goal selfish.  Selfish to have a goal for myself when I have kids to raise.  I believe that you can have goals AND raise kids.  It's important to let kids see that there can be a balance and that it is never too late to realize your dreams and see them through.  Oh well, just a little bump in the road.  It will all work out but in the meantime I will keep baking.  When life gives you lemons make blueberry-lemon cookies!  I hope you enjoy!

Bluberry-Lemon Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg yolk
1/4 c. whole milk
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 c. blueberries (if frozen, thaw and drain)

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add egg and beat.  Add milk and lemon zest.  Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.  Gently fold in the blueberries.  Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place spoonfuls of dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake until brown around the edges (about 15 minutes).  Cool on a wire rack. 

 

Cupcake Sugar Cookies

These adorable cookies are so much fun to make.  They are great for party favors.  You can use a cupcake cookie cutter (if you have one) or you can draw the pattern on a piece of paper (as I did) and cut each cookie out with a knife.  After the cookies are baked and cooled, make the royal icing.  Color the icing using food coloring and decorate the cookies.  I also used sprinkles and candies to decorate.  Once the icing dries, wrap in cellophane and tie with a cute ribbon.  These cookies are a little time-consuming but well worth it!

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. white sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
5 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs one at a time and add vanilla.  Stir in the flour, gradually.  Add baking powder and salt.  Cover and chill dough for at least an hour (up to overnight).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Roll out dough on a floured surface.  Roll to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into shapes.  Place cookies 1 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until just golden around edges.  Remove from oven and cool completely before decorating.

Royal Icing

3 Tbls. meringue powder
4 c. powdered sugar
6 Tbls. warm water

Add meringue powder, powdered sugar and warm water to mixing bowl.  Beat on low for 7 minutes with a standing mixer or 10 minutes with a hand mixer.  Add more water if too thick.  Color using food coloring (I used gel coloring to get more intense colors).