WALNUT SHAPED SANDWICH COOKIE

Prep Time:

3-4 hours

Cook Time:

325°F, 25 to 30 minutes

Serves:

Yield:
Makes 1 1/4 cups, enough for 25 cookies
Cookies will keep, covered, for up to 2 days.

Level:

Beginner

About the Recipe

WALNUT SHAPED SANDWICH COOKIE

Ingredients

Cookie Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 

6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3 oz. cream cheese 

½ cup granulated sugar 

½ cup packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg yolk 

1 tsp. vanilla or Lorann walnut or orange flavor oil (or liqueur )

grated orange rind (optional)

Walnut Filling (or Substitute with: Pecan or Hazelnut) Ingredients

1 ½ ounces (½ cup) walnuts, toasted and finely chopped 

1 cup confectioners sugar 

3 oz (6 Tbs) salted butter softened

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

Or Alternate Peanut Butter Filling:

-Or-

Peanut Butter Filling Ingredients

1 1/2 cups peanut butter 

3 tbsp. light corn syrup 

4 tsp. heavy cream 

2 tbsp. Salted softened butter 

1 tsp. vanilla 

1 lb. confectioners sugar

Preparation

Cookie Directions

1. Sift flour, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a medium bowl. Beat butter, cream cheese, and sugars with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, (approx 2 minutes). Beat in yolk and extra (or flavor oil or liqueur). Add flour mixture, beating until cohesive. Form dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.   

2. Using pastry brush, generously dust a walnut Springerle mold with confectioners' sugar. Cut a piece of dough about the size of the mold. Press dough into mold with fingers (pressing from the center of the cavity). Gently pluck dough from mold with toothpick or fingertips and onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Trim edges with sharp knife. Repeat and space pressed cookie dough impressions 1 inch apart, (cleaning mold when necessary). No drying needed before baking. Freeze for 1 hour (this will help preserve the impression).  

3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake cookies until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on sheets (with wire racks underneath sheet).

4. Pipe (or spread) 1 teaspoon filling onto flat side of 1 cookie. Press alternate flat side of cookie onto filling to create sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.  

Walnut Filling Directions

Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in walnuts and salt until combined. Beat in chocolate. Use immediately.

-or-

Peanut Butter Filling Directions

Mix together well. Roll or scoop into a ball and squash between two baked nut cookie halves until it overflows pleasingly between them.