Spring has sprung and Easter is right around the corner, so I thought I would make some Easter-like treats. Up first: these Lemon Sandwich Cookies with Raspberry Cream Filling. Light, a wee bit tart and overall delicious. I am not about the colors usually, but I had leftover sanding sugar from Christmas in a multi-color pack, so I used some of that too. It’s totally optional, as is the cookie-stamp, but it does make them more interesting looking, I think.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (optional)
3 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
pink sanding sugar or sprinkles (optional)
for the filling
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons raspberry extract (optional, but if you have it, it gives something extra)
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
If you want to make a pattern on the cookies, you will either need an imprinting rolling pin or a cookie stamp (not required, but they are pretty)
Directions
In mixing bowl, cream together unsalted butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy. Beat in flour, baking powder, salt, orange juice and lemon extract until smooth and well combined. Chill in refrigerator 2-3 hours or until firm enough to be rolled.
Prepare a baking sheet with wax paper. This is not the one that you will use for baking, but for chilling.
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. For the last roll, use the imprinting rolling pin. Cut with a round cookie cutter and transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet; you can place the cookies close together, or even a double layer with wax paper in between as you will be chilling the cookies for 30-60 minutes before baking. Cut out all cookies from the chilled doughs, then chill cut outs in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat. Place cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown at the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack.
This next step is optional, but depending on the season, might be a nice touch. To decorate, whisk together lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Using a food safe paint brush, brush the cookies with the sugar “glue” and then sprinkle with sugar sprinkles. Let harden before moving on to the next step.
To make the filing, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, raspberry jam and extract, and salt and mix to combine. With mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use; do not chill. Spread filling over the bottom of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies.
