Maple Crème Sandwich Cookies

Maple is probably my second favorite flavor after lemon. I love maple in just about anything - including my favorite honey and maple cured bacon. Those little maple sugar candies that are so abundant during the holidays can send me into ecstasy. Every once in awhile I also spot maple sandwich cookies at the grocery store. It's one of those hit or miss things in the "gourmet cookie" section. But, I figured I could do my own version at home.

So, I began to work on a sandwich cookie. My first thought was to use a basic sugar cookie dough and cut the cookies out in the shape of maple leaves. But, I thought the sugar cookie might overwhelm the maple filling and also be too crunchy. So, I decided to adapt my Shrewsbury Cakes recipe for a softer cookie and flavor it with some maple to compliment the filling.

These turned out exceptionally well, and I could almost sit and eat the filling by itself! You can make these as big or small as you like. I used a large scoop for the cookies so my finished cookies were about 3-4 inches across.


Cookies

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup shortening, room temperature
1 cup sugar (plus extra for rolling)
1 1/2 tsp. maple extract
1 egg
3 tbs. milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add maple extract, egg and milk and mix to combine. Sift together the flour, soda, salt and cream of tartar and to the creamed mixture. Mix until combined. Using a cookie scoop, roll dough into balls and then roll balls in extra sugar. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and flatten slightly with bottom of glass or hand. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until very light golden brown. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool completely before assembling sandwich cookies.

Filling

1 large egg white
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbs. pure maple syrup (or 1 tbs. maple extract)
2 tbs. milk
1/4 cup shortening, softened

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix egg white and 1 cup of powdered sugar until smooth. Add maple syrup, milk and shortening and beat until smooth.

Assembling Cookies

Take 1 cookie and place 1 1/2 tsp. of filling in center (I found using a small cookie scoop worked well.) Top with a second cookie and press together to distribute filling.

 

Recipe Source: http://www.sugarpiesfood.com/2010/11/maple-creme-sandwich-cookies.html