I thought I’d make a couple of things for St. Patrick’s Day. And sort of like most holidays, I am just making these because it’s a sweet treat and I felt like it, not because they are particularly Irish or Irish-American for that matter. These “Irish Cream “Faux-reos” Sandwich Cookies are Oreo-style Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Bailey’s Filling, and how can you really go wrong with that.
Ingredients
for the cookies
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
for the Filing
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons Irish cream extract
2-3 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
To make Celtic-style imprints on the cookies, you will also need a special rolling pin or cookie stamp. If you are planning on making them colorful, you will need some green and white sprinkles.
Directions
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and baking powder. In the work bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat.
Remove one half of 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. Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from losing the imprints and losing their shape while baking. If you are putting sprinkles on the cookies, you can skip the chilling step, and just put a brush of water and some sprinkles on each cookie. Bake cookies for about 10 – 12 minutes or until they are firm around the edges. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
To make the filing, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and shortening until well combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the Irish cream extract, and beat to combine. Seaside at room temperature until ready to use; do not chill. Spread filling over the bottom of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies.
