From the response I recently received on an Instagram post dedicated to Christmas cookie boxes, and how I felt that these boxes are the embodiment of pure joy, I’d say that everyone loves a good cookie. Home baked cookies are such a treat because it feels special when someone has baked just for you (or, at least, this is how I hope people feel when I give them a box full of cookies!). I love baking and, cookies are the perfect thing to share. Unlike a cake, you can gift cookies for no reason at all and, I appreciate the fact that they can be divided up so that many people can enjoy them. Thinking about the wide world of cookie baking, I was really excited to receive a copy of Heather Mubarak’s Stuffed: The Sandwich Cookie Book in the mail because I appreciate that while she gives recipes as a cookie and filling pairing, she’s organized the book so that home bakers have the freedom to mix-and-match recipes too!
Everything home bakers need to know is “sandwiched” into 7 chapters: 1) Oldies But Goodies, 2) For the Love of Chocolate, 3) The Cool Cookie, 4) Tart & Tangy, 5) Cookies with a Kick, 6) Cocktail Cookies, and 7) The Fillings. Mubarak spends the opening of the book giving bakers helpful information on ingredients along with tips and tricks to ensure our success. I found it was easy to get baking the recipes because they relied on equipment and ingredients that I already had – baking sheets, a kitchen scale, and cookie scoops are the essentials. She uses a stand mixer for most of her recipes, but I think a hand mixer could work too. Using a stand mixer is helpful when you need to whip/mix something for a long time – for example, when I was whipping the Vanilla Bean Filling, the recipe instructs us to whip it for 6 minutes. I appreciated being able to let the stand mixer do that job! The recipes yield anywhere from 12-24 cookies, and I found the filling recipes are generous so that I never was left without being able to fill all the cookies. I noticed that many of the recipes required the dough and/or the filling to chill first, so it’s always a good idea to read through the recipes beforehand.
Since I am awfully fond of my walking buddies, the first recipe I baked to share was the one for Gourmet Golden Oreos. I chose this one because I could almost get a couple dozen cookies from the recipe (enough to share with everyone!) and I was curious to see how Mubarak would get the filling to look Oreo-like (the pancake-flat filling of Oreos appeals to me in a big way). As I got baking, I learned that the Vanilla Bean Filling was first chilled, then rolled out between two pieces of parchment and frozen until firm. Once firm, a 2” round cutter is used to cutout the discs of filling! When sandwiched between buttery, golden cookies, these really do look like a golden Oreo! They were also a big hit with my pals too!
Coffee and chocolate are such a classic pairing – with the deep, richness of the coffee adding more chocolatey flavour to the chocolate, which is why Mubarak’s Coffee Lover’s Cookies are so delicious! My dear friend adores any type of brownie cookie, so when I saw the recipe for this sandwich cookie version, I knew I would bake her a batch. This cookie recipe has been adapted from an Edd Kimber recipe, with a good amount of espresso powder being added to the dough. As with any brownie cookie, these are lush and fudgy and when sandwiched with buttercream they are a dream. While I intended to make the Espresso Buttercream, I worried that it would be too much coffee for my daughter (who was also keen to try these), so I used a caramel emulsion to flavour the filling (coffee, chocolate, and caramel is an excellent combination).
One of my favourite cookies from the book are the Carrot Cake Cookies w/ Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. Spiced and carrot-y, these cookies appealed to everyone because there were no divisive add-ins like raisins or crushed pineapple – just shredded carrot in all it’s glory! I also loved the texture of the cookies – softer and cakier than a regular cookie, these reminded me of a Whoopie Pie. And I loved the brown butter flavoured cream cheese frosting too. These cookies – along with all sandwich cookies imho – bring that extra level of satisfaction with them because you get to eat not one, but *two* cookies AND you get the benefit of enjoying buttercream without having it with a slice of cake.
If you’re looking for some immediate gratification, then I would recommend baking the recipe for Funfetti Cookies w/ Cake Batter Buttercream because the cookie dough can be mixed up and baked without any chilling. My daughter really loved these cookies – whether it was the bright sprinkles in the cookie or the lovely pink buttercream, these sandwich cookies really called to her! I think they’re a fun cookie that is perfect for any special occasion or celebration too.
Stuffed is a wonderful cookie book full of recipes and inspiration for every craving, occasion, and season. Mubarak also gives home bakers a wide variety of types of sandwich cookies – including macarons, Whoopie Pies, and ice cream sammies to mention just a few. As I have found, sandwich cookies are delicious, even more delightful when shared with friends and family! And, I have already started to think about which cookies I’ll add to my holiday cookie boxes this year – the recipe for Gingerbread Cookies w/ Pumpkin Spice Buttercream are at the top of the list.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Raincoast Books and Chronicle Books for providing me with a free, review copy of this book. I did not receive monetary compensation for my post, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
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