This is a traditional cookie sandwich (originally from here) coated and covered in bright and glittery sanding sugar. Think Snickerdoodle meets macaroon meets GLITTER! For the filling, I alternated between lemon and almond flavors. That way some cookies serve as more of a refreshment while others offer a bit more of a savory bite. Essentially this is an overly glitzed sugar cookie sandwich that packs a lot (like A LOT) of butter but a soft taste. A great little sparkle treat to enjoy before those new year’s resolutions kick in.
Sparkledoodles
Ingredients:
For the Cookies
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
Sanding sugars in various colors (I used hot pink, gold, and silver)
For the Filling
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, separated
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp almond extract
4 Tbsp light corn syrup, separated in half
1 stick unsalted butter, softened, halved
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl, mix together and set aside
3. With electric mixer, mix butter, confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and vanilla until fluffy
4. Add flour mixture and mix on low until dough forms
5. Place each sanding sugar into a small bowl; roll dough into balls, 1/2-inch in diameter, then roll balls in sanding sugar
6. Place balls on parchment lined baking sheet, 3/4-inch apart; chill for a minimum of 30 minutes to help preserve the round shape
7. Bake for 9-11 minutes; bottoms should just be turning golden; remove and place on cooling racks
8. With electric mixer, mix 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 Tbsp light corn syrup and 1/2 stick of butter until combined to make the lemon filling; set aside
9. In another bowl, use the electric mixer to mix the remaining filling ingredients to make the almond filling
10. Spoon or pipe approximately 1/4 – 1/2 tsp of filling on bottom half of a cookie, sandwich with another cookie to form a ball; refrigerate until ready to serve
