I hardly ever make sandwich cookies because I prefer packaged. There, I said it. Nothing, not even the homemade “copycat” versions, compare with Oreos. Newman’s Own ginger sandwiches are the best in the ginger category, and for lemon, my vote goes to Lance “Lem-o Lunch” found mostly in hospital cafeterias, gas stations in the south and break rooms of companies that sell things like copiers. In cookie taxonomy, sandwich cookies belong in their own phylum under which various species of cookies such as the... Ack. I’m going crazy. Let me just get to the recipe.
Last week, I was compelled to make some lemon filled sandwich cookies. They tasted too homemade for me. If you like that sort of thing…..homemade sandwich cookies, here’s the recipe I used. It’s from a book of blue winning recipes. A retired meteorologist won a bunch of blue ribbons with this recipe.
Update: This post is nuts. I like packaged sandwich cookies and homemade. There is a place in the world for both.
Lemon-Filled Sandwich Cookies
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
½ cup granulated sugar
4 ounces butter, softened
1 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup chopped pecans – set aside
Lemon Filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
4 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Separate the eggs. Put the whites in the refrigerator.
Put the yolks in a mixing bowl and beat in the sugar, softened butter, water and vanilla. When thoroughly mixed, add flour mixture and stir until you have a dough. Divide it in half and shape each half of dough into a 7 inch long cylinder that is about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap the cylinders in waxed paper and chill for at least 4 hours. They need to be very firm, so that you can slice them.
Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
Have ready two parchment or non-stick foil lined cookie sheets. For crisper cookies, I recommend using a regular cookie sheet over an insulated cookie sheet.
Remove cylinders from the refrigerator and slice into ⅛ inch thick slices. Place slices on cookie sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart (or a little less).
Remove egg whites from refrigerator and whisk until frothy. Add pecans and mix until pecans are coated with egg whites. Spoon ½ teaspoon of pecan/white mixture on top of HALF of the cookie slices.
Bake cookies one sheet at a time on center rack for 6 minutes or until edges are brown. Let cookies cool slightly then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Make filling. Stir together all filling ingredients, adjusting liquid if necessary, and beat until light and creamy. Spread filling over half of the cookie bottoms, then cap with pecan topped cookies.
Makes 48 (in theory). You may get less, depending on how adept you are at making ⅛ inch thick slices
dilla says
does anyone remember Nabisco's "party pack" . two rows of sandwich cookies. one row was a vanilla cookie with lemon fillng and one row was chocolate cookie with vanilla cream.
Sue says
Oh,oh! I just scrolled up and saw that I forgot to type in how long to bake those cookies.
It should read,Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Sue says
Nabisco used to make a vanilla sandwich cookie that they distributed in this area. They called them Cameos and they were very yummy. I missed them when I could no longer find them on the shelf but eventually I was placated by the appearance of Golden Oreos. I totally believe you that the Cookie Break cookies were great. It's a bummer when they stop making a good thing.
Anna says
Okay, first off, I'm not the only one who misses the predecessor to Golden Oreos. Someone on this message board remembers "Cookie Break".
http://www.terismessageboard.com/archive/index.php?t-5367.html
And they're right. Golden Oreos just aren't the same. "Cookie Break" was special.
Sniff.
Sue, thanks for the recipe. You are welcome to post whatever recipes you want here in the comment section. I'm pasting that one in my file and will try it in due time.
Tara, thanks for laughing at my jokes and I'm REALLY happy to hear you've enjoyed some of the recipes.
Tara says
Anna,
I just think you are so funny! Cookie Taxonomy... reminds me of a certain show on the Food Channel! =) Your blog keeps me inspired and entertained, and has been a major contributer to my family's holidays since I started reading. So... thanks!
Sue says
Since at least by appearances (going by the Pillsbury Bake Off Show) I'm older than Anna, and for the most part ignorant of blog etiquette I'm always hesitant to post a recipe on a blog for fear of stepping on someone's toes, but since Anna gave me the go ahead, here is the recipe for the:
Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
2c. flour
2 t. soda
1/4 t. salt
2/3 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
6 oz. chocolate chips melted
1/4 c. light corn syrup
3 boxes of thin mints (These are the mints that you find in the candy aisle in a box that is long and skinny.)
Cream the butter and sugar together, mix in the egg, and then add the flour, soda, salt, and mix.
Mix in the melted chocolate chips and corn syrup.
Chill overnight.
Roll the dough into very small balls and then roll them in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees. Remove from cookie sheet and while the cookies are still warm place a mint on half of the cookies. Place another warm cookie on top of each. Gently press on each cookie as the mint melts. Cool completely.
I apologize for not remembering how many cookies this makes. They're small cookies and it makes quite a few.
Anna, I've never had those other kinds of vanilla sandwich cookies. I wonder if we have them this far north? I'll have to look.
Emiline says
I'm not opposed to homemade sandwich cookies. I've made them before, and liked them, but I have one problem with them. They sort of get soggy from the filling.
I like those wafer cookies with the vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry filling. (What are they called?!) I stole some from the grocery store when I was 4.
Anna says
Amy, I like cheap vanilla sandwich cookies too, but it depends on the brand. My favorite vanilla sandwich cookies (which were normal price, not cheap) were called Break Time! or Cookie Break! or something like that. If only there was some vast network of information where I could look that up....Hmmmmmm. I think they were made by Nabisco.
Sue, of course we'd like the recipe! I've never heard of using mints as THE filling. Also, Golden Oreos aren't nearly as good as Break Outs! or Cookie Break! or whatever they were called.
Meredith, I tend to buy chocolate dipped graham crackers at coffee shops knowing that most of the stuff behind the glass case isn't as good as I'd make at home. The chocolate grahams, especially the one made by Long Grove Confectionary, are consistently good. Haven't had Keebler's in a while.
Cathy, I almost wrote "I'm glad I'm killing you" but it didn't sound right ;). Thanks for the compliment. I'm going to spend some time reading your blog later. I'm behind on all my blog reading.
cathy says
Oh you're killing me with these. They look absolutely delightful. You are truly inspiring with all your fabulous recipes.
Meredith says
Sue -- I don't know about anyone else, but I'd love the mint sandwich cookie recipe.
I agree, though -- nothing beats an Oreo. Actually, my all-time favorite cookie/candy = chocolate-dipped oreos. Preferably, dark-chocolate dipped. Oh -- and dark-chocolate dipped graham crackers. I DID try making homemade grahams once -- like sandwich cookies, they just weren't the same as the assembly-line goodie!
Sue says
Hmmm? Can a cookie taste "too homemade"? Homemade clothing can definitely look too homemade, but I'd have to taste one of these to believe there is anything such as a cookie that is too homeade.
I've never bothered to make any of the Oreo spinoffs. Oreos are great and I don't see why I would bother making them when they're so good as is, and I adore the Golden Oreos. Maybe even more than the original. At Christmas time we had some cookies from Trader's Joes. I think they were called Peppermint Jo Jo's. They were truly addictive. I like lemon filled sandwich cookies but it has been years and years since I had a good one, so I don't bother with them anymore. Maybe I should try a package again.
One of my older quilting friends shared a recipe a few years ago for something she calls Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. They're wonderful. Very crispy, and the filling is one of those Chocolate Covered Mint Patties that you can buy in the candy aisle or at the drug store. They're packaged in a paper board box. I think they're made by Nesco. If you'd like the recipe, I'm happy to send it to you.
Amy says
Wow, I totally agree and I love those Lance Lemon cookies! My mom used to buy the big variety pack at Sam's Club when I was a kid and the lemon cookies were always the first to go. I also adore the really cheap vanilla creme sandwich cookies from the grocery store. I find it kind of sad that some things made from an assembly line are just better than homemade... but, then I get over it an scarf down a couple packages.
Anna says
Julie, exactly! I couldn't think how to express that, but yes. Homemade sandwich cookies are like eating two cookies as one and missing out on eating two.
Therese, I'm glad you mentioned Whoopie Pies. They're kind of in a cakey-offshoot category...not the type of sandwich cookies I had in mind. The ginger chocolate cookies DO fall into the sandwich cookie category, but as Julie pointed out, those are two cookies combined into one. Plus, any recipe from Dawn (ginger sandwich) is also an exception.
Therese says
I have to disagree on this one. I LOVE whoopie pie cookies. I have an old Amish recipe that is soooooo good!
And I do recall a recipe that I made at Christmas that was from your website that drew RAVE reviews from friends....the ginger chocolate filled cookies!!! Remember those??!! Those were SOOOOO awesome.
These look intriguing as well!
Julie O'Hara says
I totally agree with you! I have never and will never make sandwich cookies. In my mind, it's like eating two cookies at once and why would I do that instead of savoring two cookies individually, prolonging the indulgence. I don't buy a lot of cookies either, but I do love newman's - the double chocolate. And yes, processed lemon creams are the best!! I used to love oreos, but they don't satisfy me anymore...I think it has to do with the trans fat...oh well.