This is hands down the best baking cookbook I've ever owned. Everything turns out not just good, but AMAZING, including these cookies. I've made homemade versions of that popular sandwich cookie before and they were good, but not fantastic. There was something missing. I was never quite sure what, but they still didn't capture the flavour I was looking for. Sometime the texture of the cookies wasn't quite what I wanted either. It seemed as though a homemade Oreo that competed with those little bites of heaven in a package was just out of reach.
Well, I don't need to search any longer because Butter Baked Goods has totally nailed this recipe. If you need a reason to run out and buy their cookbook, these cookies alone are it. Normally, I can resist baked goods but after taking photos I grabbed one and took a nibble, which is where my self restraint ended entirely.
That nibble resulted in me being completely transfixed, savouring each and every bite, stopping only to blissfully lick buttercream from my fingers. Do you know I don't even like buttercream? Somehow here it works and captures of the flavour of those packaged cookies so beautifully! In fact, these are BETTER than those packaged cookies. There's no weird or obscure ingredients either, just good wholesome stuff that you probably have in your cupboard.
The only change I would make is that they are so large I'd likely make them a little smaller next time. But really that's up to you. I haven't adapted much from this recipe-let me encourage you to run, not walk to the store and buy this cookbook. There's so many delicious things in there you'll thank me.
Ingredients:
Cookies:
3 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened, dark cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups sugar, plus extra for the tops
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Filling
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups icing sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
Directions:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F and line the cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together with a mixer on medium or high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, blending after each to make sure they are well mixed in. Scrape down the bowl again. Add the vanilla, and beat a bit to blend.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Give them a stir and then add to the butter mixture. Mix on low until they are combined.
4. Scoop the dough out with an ice cream scoop into 24 equal sized portions. Set them about 2 inches apart on your cookie sheet. Flatten a cookie slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass (this makes the glass a bit sticky) by pressing down, then give the glass a twist and remove. Dip the glass in sugar to coat and gently press down on the dough again to coat it with sugar, giving it a twist before removing. Continue with the rest of the cookies-flattening them, and coating the tops with sugar.
5. Bake the cookies about 15-17 minutes. They will spread, but the edges will firm up and the middles will be soft. Remove them from the pan to a wire rack to cool. Once the cookies have cooled, fill with buttercream.
6. To make the buttercream, beat the butter on low with the icing sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and turn the mixer to high, beating well until the mixture is light and fluffy. Fill the cookies by spreading about 2 tbsp of butter cream on the bottom of one right to the edges, then topping with another, smooshing the bottoms together.
7. Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. Makes about 12-18 large sandwich cookies.
Want more awesome recipes? Go get Butter Baked Goods' cookbook. I'm not being paid to tell you this-I did get the book for free at a conference, but it has easily become my favourite.
