Lemon-Blackberry Cookie Sandwiches

I just got back from Mexico! It was amazing, I didn't want to leave! Needless to say, I was seriously bumming today without Jose. And what do I do when I am sad? Oh friends... I cook of course! I realize that I failed to post my usual cookbook Monday post. So, I decided better late than never, right? The recipe I chose is Mini Lemon Sandwich Cookies from a little book I have had forever called Cookie Dough Fun. The cookies are golden, flaky, buttery delights that literally melt in your mouth. I changed up the filling and sandwiched them together with a mouthwatering puree made from fresh blackberries. The berry filling was the perfect complement to the slightly tangy lemon flavor of the cookies. Make sure you refrigerate the dough for enough time for it to get quite firm or the cookies are literally impossible to roll out. Also use lots of flour and work fast when you are rolling them out and dipping them in the sugar because as they warm up they start to stick. These are well worth the effort though, a great way to say goodbye to summer berries! Hope you enjoy, have a beautiful week!

Recipe Based on: Mini Lemon Sandwich Cookies from Cookie Dough Fun

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup granulated sugar + more for dipping

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

3 tablespoons blackberry puree (instructions follow)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For cookies, combine flour, butter, whipping cream, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon extract and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

Beat 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl often until well blended. Divide dough into thirds. Wrap each portion in waxed paper and refrigerate until firm.

Preheat oven to 375* F. Roll out each portion of dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a well-floured surface. Cut dough with a cookie cutter of your choice (I used a heart).

Dip both sides of each cookie in additional sugar. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Pierce with fork. Bake 6-9 minutes until slightly puffed but not browned. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets.

Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For filling, combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter, blackberry puree, and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat about 2 minutes, scraping bowl often until smooth.

Spread 1 tablespoon (depending on the size of your cookies, on each bottom half of the cookie. Top with remaining cookies.

*To make blackberry puree, place 1 1/2 cups fresh or defrosted blackberries in a mesh sieve. Smoosh blackberries against the sieve using the back of a spoon to extract about 3 tablespoons juice (it's important to use a sieve to extract the juice so you don't get seeds in your filling). I mixed the leftover blackberry mush in with some vanilla yogurt for breakfast. Talk about a good use for leftovers :)

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