Vanilla Dessert Sandwiches

Why limit yourself to one vanilla cookie when you can have two (plus a creamy vanilla filling!) in one package with these Vanilla Dessert Sandwiches?

Vanilla Dessert Sandwiches
Photo: Andy Lyons
Prep Time:
45 mins
Bake Time:
10 mins
Cool Time:
1 mins
Chill Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:
24
Yield:
24 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoon cream of tartar

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 ½ cup granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoon milk

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon pure ground vanilla beans* or 2 tsp. vanilla extract

  • Vanilla sugar (recipe below)

  • 1 recipe Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 6 ounce cream cheese, softened

  • ¼ cup powdered sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Sugar

  • 4 cup sugar

  • 1 vanilla bean

Directions

  1. In medium bowl whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

  2. In large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in milk, vanilla, and ground vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour mixture by hand. Dough will be soft.

  3. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill dough about 30 minutes or until easy to handle. On lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time until 1/8 inch thick.

  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles from dough. Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles from the centers of half the dough circles. Place dough circles on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Reroll scraps, including the 1-inch dough rounds, and cut out additional dough circles as directed. Repeat with remaining dough half.

  5. Sprinkle the dough circles that have the centers cut out with vanilla sugar. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cookies cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

  6. Spread bottoms of the solid cookies with about 1-1/2 teaspoons of the Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting. Top each with one of the cookies with the center hole, sugar side up. Refrigerate filled cookies to store. Makes 24 sandwich cookies.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In a medium bowl stir together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Vanilla Sugar

  1. Pour sugar into a large, clean jar. Using a sharp paring knife, slit vanilla bean lengthwise. Insert both halves into sugar, making sure all of the bean is covered with sugar. Secure lid and store in a cool, dry place for 2 weeks before using. (Will keep indefinitely.)

*Ground vanilla beans should not be confused with vanilla powder.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

223 Calories
10g Fat
31g Carbs
2g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 24
Calories 223
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 28mg 9%
Sodium 126mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 2g
Calcium 10.1mg 1%
Iron 0.7mg 4%
Potassium 74mg 2%
Folate, total 28.2mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg
Vitamin B-6 0mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.