To accentuate the sweetness of our strawberry frosting-filled sandwich cookies, we relied on a triple dose of Heilala Vanilla. Heilala Vanilla’s extract and vanilla bean paste pump up the flavor of the cookies and frosting while a final roll in Heilala Vanilla Sugar gives the cookies a satisfying, vanilla-forward crunch.
Vanilla Strawberry Sandwich Cookies
Makes about 12 sandwich cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 10 minutes
- ¼ cup (55 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) Heilala Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
- 1â…” cups (208 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- â…“ cup (76 grams) Heilala Vanilla Sugar
- Strawberry Jam Frosting (recipe follows)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat granulated sugar, melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract at medium-low speed until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add egg, beating until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture all at once; beat at low speed just until combined, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide dough into 24 portions (about 22 grams each), and shape into balls. Place vanilla sugar in a small shallow bowl. Roll dough balls in vanilla sugar, and place at least 2 inches apart on prepared pans.
- Bake until edges are lightly golden and set, 8 to 10 minutes. (Centers may still seem slightly underdone.) Let cool completely on pan on a wire rack.
- Place Strawberry Jam Frosting in a large piping bag fitted with a medium open star tip (Wilton 1M); pipe frosting onto flat side of half of cookies. Place remaining cookies, flat side down, on top of frosting. Serve immediately.
Strawberry Jam Buttercream
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons (12 grams) Heilala Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- 3½ cups (420 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ½ cup (10 grams) freeze-dried strawberries, very finely crushed (see Note)
- 6 tablespoons (106 grams) seedless strawberry jam
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, vanilla bean paste, and salt at medium speed until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. With mixer on low speed, gradually add confectioners’ sugar and freeze-dried strawberries, beating until combined. Add jam and cream; increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Use immediately.
Notes
To finely crush whole freeze-dried strawberries, place in a small resealable plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin.
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Wonderful strawberry filling! A new family favorite!
How do you store these if you have to make them ahead of time for an event or party?
Hi JoBo,
They will stay fresh up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container, but we recommend serving them within a day or two for optimal results. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months if they are wrapped well and placed in an airtight container. Bring the cookies to room temperature before serving. Happy baking!
These are great. The cookies are nice and soft and the strawberry buttercream is hard to beat. I think the cookies would be just as good not rolled in sugar if someone wanted to leave that out. Thanks for the recipe!