Maple Sandwich Cookies          marydukecooks.com

The flavor and texture of these Maple Cookies can stand on their own merit without icing. I like their crispness. Making them into sandwich cookies with Maple Filling takes them over the top. Just be sure to fill the sandwich cookies with Maple Filling the day you plan to eat them or they will become soft and not crisp.

Please don’t change any of the ingredients for the cookies or the cookies will not spread properly when baked. You want to end up with a thin, crisp cookie. Also, The sanding sugar is essential for crunch! Happy Baking!

Maple Sandwich Cookies

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup butter flavored shortening
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon maple extract
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tarter
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon iodized salt
Colored sanding sugar (I use Wilton) or sprinkles

With a mixer beat butter, shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar, maple and vanilla extracts together for 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs and mix until incorporated. Scrape bowl and mix again briefly.

Mix flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt together. Add gradually to butter mixture. Scrape bowl and beat again. Refrigerate dough at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Preheat oven 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour sanding sugar or sprinkles into a small bowl. For 3-inch cookies use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, for 1 ½ -inch cookies use a ½-tablespoon cookie scoop.

Scoop cookies and roll in colored sanding sugar or sprinkles Place on prepared cookie sheets. Leave enough space between cookies for cookies to spread. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

1-tablespoon scoop makes about 60 (3-inch cookies) or 30 sandwich cookies. 1/2-tablespoon scoop makes 120 (1 ½-inch) cookies or 60 sandwich cookies. Happy Baking!

Maple Filling

½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
⅓cup pure maple syrup (use the real thing- Grade A, amber color)
¼ teaspoon iodized salt
3 ½cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons whole buttermilk (buttermilk made from whole milk- it is thicker than regular buttermilk)
1 teaspoon maple extract

Bring butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt to a full rolling boil in a medium non-stick saucepan over medium high heat; stirring constantly. The mixture should boil in the middle of the pan and not stop even when stirring. After mixture comes to a full rolling boil, reduce heat so mixture will keep boiling but not boil over. Set timer and boil 2 minutes. (If you boil for longer than that you will end up with a solid block of caramel!)

Pour hot mixture into the mixing bowl of your mixer and set aside to COOL COMPLETELY, about 20-30 minutes. Do not refrigerate. (If you do not let the caramel mixture cool completely the icing will be grainy. If the caramel gets too stiff before you get back to it, microwave 30 seconds to loosen it up.)

Using a mixer on low speed, gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar to cooled brown sugar mixture. Mixture will look curdled don’t worry. Add buttermilk and beat until smooth. Add maple extract and remaining 1½ cup powdered sugar. Turn mixer to high speed and beat an additional 3 minutes until smooth. Makes about 3 cups.

Published in The News and Neighbor on October 24, 2018.