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When I set out to make my list of goodies to make this Christmas season, I vowed to not make a ton of cookies.  I had planned early on to put together treat packages for everyone this year and I wanted to focus my attention on getting them squared away early so that I could actually relax on Christmas Eve day, something I never seem to be able to do.  But then my cousin and I came across this recipe for butter cookie sandwiches.  And goodness knows, I’m a sucker for butter cookies!  The original recipe called for the filling to include chestnut cream (crème de marron) but because of Kyle’s allergies, that wouldn’t work so I swapped dulce de leche in place of the original ingredient.  And umm…genius?  Rich butter cookies sandwiched with dulce de leche cream filling might just be one of the better ideas I’ve had lately.  I did feel like the chocolate slightly overpowered the flavor of the dulce de leche so I think next time I’ll skip the chocolate (the horror!) because the filling needs to shine through.  But overall, adding these cookies to you cookie platter will not disappoint anyone and you’ve still got plenty of time to work them into your schedule!

Butter Cookie Sandwiches with Dulce de Leche Cream Filling
source: adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies

Ingredients:
For the cookies:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1 large egg

For the filling:

  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • Pinch of coarse salt
  • 1/4 cup dulce de leche

For the glaze:

  • 6 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions:

  1. Make cookies: Sift together flour and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar; mix until smooth. Mix in egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2-inch rounds. Using a spatula, transfer rounds to baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 1 inch apart.
  3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
  4. Make filling: Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add sugar, salt, and dulce de leche; mix until smooth.
  5. Make glaze: Melt chocolate and butter in a small pan over low heat, stirring constantly; set aside.
  6. Assemble cookies: Spread filling on bottom of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Dip sandwiches a third of the way into the warm glaze; transfer to wire racks set over baking sheets. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Yields: about 36 sandwich cookies