Best Nutty Sandwich Cookies Recipes

PEANUT-BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Cookies: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/2 stick butter. Add oats and cook, stirring, until toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Spread mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet; let cool completely.
• In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat remaining 1 stick butter with granulated and brown sugars on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add peanut butter; beat until well combined.
• Gradually add oat mixture and flour mixture; beat on low speed until combined. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of parchment 1/4 inch thick. Slide dough with parchment onto baking sheet and refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove top layer of parchment; cut out cookies using a 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart; sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets.
• Filling: In a medium bowl, beat all ingredients on medium speed until smooth. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip (such as Ateco #806).
• Pipe filling in a spiral motion on bottom sides of half of cookies. Top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches. (Filled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)

NUTTY PIE-CRUST COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter, flour, confectioners' sugar and salt until crumbly. Beat in cream. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 1-1/2-in. round cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Place pecans and coconut in a small bowl; toss to combine. Reserve 1/2 cup coconut mixture. In another bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, salt and, if desired, liqueur until creamy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in remaining coconut mixture. Spread over bottoms of half of the cookies; cover with remaining cookies. Place reserved coconut mixture in a shallow bowl. Roll sides of cookies in coconut mixture., Freeze option: Transfer wrapped disks to a resealable plastic freezer bag; freeze. To use, thaw dough in refrigerator until soft enough to roll. Prepare, bake and fill cookies as directed.

HAZELNUT MERINGUE SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes; let cool, then finely chop. Reduce the oven temperature to 225 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat in the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until stiff peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Add the chopped hazelnuts and sift in the confectioners' sugar.
• Fold together with a rubber spatula.
• Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 2-inch rounds about 1 inch apart on the prepared pans, keeping the pastry tip close to the pan.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the meringues are dry and release from
• the parchment, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn off the oven; leave the meringues inside for 30 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until combined, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium high and beat in the vanilla; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Dollop 1 teaspoon filling and 1/2 teaspoon jelly on the flat side of half the meringues. Top with the remaining meringues.