Maple Sandwich Cookies

These cookies taste like maple syrup and make you want to start singing Oh Canada!  We have a great national anthem so why not belt it out especially because this weekend is Canada Day. 

Sandwich cookies look more complicated then they really are.  I used a smaller maple leaf cookie cutter because let’s not forget it really is two cookies sandwiched between butter cream – and in this case maple butter cream – so there is NO WAY anyone can eat just one so if they are smaller maybe they won’t feel bad eating two or three…

They really should be called Maple MAPLE Sandwich Cookies because they are super mapley and super yummy.

I made them as part of my S’more dessert table and here is how I made them.

Ingredients

Cookies:

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

¼ cup maple syrup

1 egg

1 tsp maple extract

3 ¼  cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Maple Butter Filling:

¼ cup butter, room temperature

2 cups icing sugar

2 tbsp whipping cream (or regular cream or 5% cream or milk)

2 tsp maple extract

Directions & Tips

Cookies:

In a large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy; beat in maple syrup, egg & maple extract.

In separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture until dough is smooth.

Wrap dough into plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour or this could be your “make ahead” and you can refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 350⁰.

Roll out dough.  Using a maple leaf cookie cutter, cut out cookies.  I used the smallest maple leaf from this Wilton Leaves & Acorn nesting set I have.

Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheets.

Bake at 350^o  oven, rotating pans halfway through, until golden on bottoms and edges are darkened, 10 to 12 minutes.  Transfer cookies to racks; let cool.

Maple Butter Filling: 

In small bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in sugar, cream (or milk) and maple extract until smooth.

I used a piping bag but you could simply spread about 1 tsp of maple butter filling on the bottoms of half of the cookies and then sandwich bottom side down with remaining cookies.

If you make these, don't forget to let me know what you think.

Sing OH CANADA or some other Canadian song* and have a great long weekend.

* also I would like to know what you sang

Father's Day - Tie One On

It is Father’s Day is on June 17.  That means that kids everywhere will be out making cards and purchasing ties and shirts for their Dads.  Well at least that is what I usually did for my Dad.  I wish my Dad was still here so I could get him a polka dot tie (which I would say to wear with a solid shirt and check pants or a striped shirt and solid pants;) or to make him these cookies.  He is in my heart, always.

I came up with this idea cookie and recruited some friends to help me make these super cute cookies (and the kids are pretty cute too).  I love the idea because I really think everyone is an artist and these cookies are pretty simple to make and colour.

And here is how I did it – with some help from my friends.

Materials Needed for Decorating:

 

- neck tie shaped cookie cutter

- royal icing – as always, I really like the Ateco meringue powder

- piping bags

- food writing markers

Instructions and Tips:

Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe and cut out the neckties.

Outline each cookie with royal icing.

 

Fill or flood the cookies.  I like using the squeeze bottles because it is so much cleaner then a piping bag when flooding cookies.

Use a toothpick or bamboo skewer to pull the icing to fill the cookie.  If you just use the squeeze bottle there is a chance that you will overflood the cookie – it is always a fine line between the perfectly flooded cookie and a cookie that is over flowing with icing.  The toothpick “pull” really helps ensure an evenly flooded cookie.

Want another trick?  I use a Silpat when decorating cookies so they don’t slip around.

Let the cookies dry overnight.

Once the cookie is dry, the fun begins – and really I think this is fun for anyone - young or old, artistic or not, willing and those a bit resistant to the idea of decorating cookies. 

Using food writers draw on stripes, polka dots, words, letters…really you can take this as far as your imagination will take you.  


Each cookie can be so personal - like the one with the ZZZZ's "Because my Daddy snores, ALOT".

Filling in white spaces is always a good idea.

Keep it simple and say it as it is

Have fun with this activity.


I’m sure your Dad will love the thoughtfulness these ties.  The best thing about them is he does not have to worry if the pattern is not his thing because these ties don’t have to match with anything they are simply yummy. 


Thanks to all my friends who did such a great job decorating these cookies.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!