When I was a kid, we usually had some vanilla ice cream in the freezer. I never really thought this was exciting enough, so I would pour some Maraschino cherry juice on top. It was FANTABULOUS. If you haven't tried it, you should. Come to find out, this juice tastes a lot like almond extract, which is my favorite flavor for confectionary goodness. Sooo, I thought I'd combine these flavors, plus a little chocolate, into a sandwich cookie just in time for Valentine's Day. They turned out beautifully if I do say so myself!
Printable Recipe HERE
Cookies:
1 3/4 C. all - purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
10 T. unsalted butter, softened (1 1/4 sticks)
3/4 cup Truvia (or 1 1/2 cups regular sugar)
1 egg, large
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup Maraschino cherry juice
1 teaspoon pink or red food coloring
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.
Put flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl and whisk
together until combined. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together and then mix for
about 2 minutes on medium high. Add the egg, vanilla extract, cherry juice, and food coloring. Mix until smooth and then reduce speed to low; gradually
mix in the flour mixture.
Using a 1-inch ice cream scoop, drop the cookie dough onto the prepared
baking sheets and bake 8-10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through the
baking time. Let the cookies cool on wire racks.
For the buttercream filling:
14 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 stick plus 6 tablespoons leftover from cookie recipe)
5-6 C. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup ground chocolate chips (I did a rough grind on them in my spice grinder)
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and almond extract, around 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered
sugar and mix until smooth. Fold in the ground chocolate chips.
Once blended, spread about 1 T. of
buttercream onto the bottom of one cookie and then sandwich with
another.
This looks amazing! About how many cookies does this recipe make?
ReplyDeleteThanks Dominique! This made about 20 sandwich cookies.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great combination!
ReplyDelete