Cranberry Cookie Sandwiches
These were by far the best cookies I've made in my kitchen. The fact that you get 2 cookies in one serving makes them a winner as far I'm concerned. The tartness of the cranberries goes so well with the sweetness of the coconut and brown sugar, and all is made even better with the almond flavored filling. These are surely a special treat, so make a hot pot of tea, invite over some of your favorite people, and enjoy!
Cranberry Cookie Sandwiches
Makes 12-14 cookie sandwiches
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Ingredients for Filling:
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking soda until well mixed. Set aside.
3. In the stand of your mixer (you may also mix by hand), combine melted butter, granulated sugar and packed brown sugar until well blended. Add in the whole egg and egg yolk, and vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
4. Add in the flour mixture in two parts until just combined. Add in the coconut and cranberries and mix until combined. Do not over mix.
5. Make about 1-2 tablespoon balls of dough (as long as they are relatively similar in size, the exact size won't matter), and place them about 3 inches apart from each other. Bake cookies for 14-16 minutes. Cookies should still be a little soft in the middle when removed from oven (this will ensure they are soft when cooled). Cool completely on a cooling rack.
6. While the cookies are cooling, make the filling. Combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and almond extract in a large bowl and whisk until fluffy and pale. When the cookies have cooled, add about 1-2 tablespoons of filling on half of the cookies and close it with another cookie, making a sandwich. Cool in refrigerator at least 1 hour, or until the filling has set. Enjoy.