Jack-O'-Lantern sandwich cookies
A festive Halloween treat that combines the classic appeal of sandwich cookies with spooky holiday flair.
Nutrition
Calories: 270kcalCarbohydrates: 35gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 40mgSugar: 20g
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk
- Orange food coloring optional
For the filling
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup heavy cream
For decoration
- Orange and black icing for piping optional
Instructions
Prepare the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and milk, mixing until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired and mix well.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Using a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 24 cookies. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Use a small knife or tool to carve jack-o'-lantern faces into half of the cookies.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
Make the filling
- In a small saucepan, combine the pumpkin puree, white chocolate chips, and pumpkin pie spice over low heat. Stir continuously until the chocolate is melted.
- Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream until smooth. Allow the ganache to cool and thicken slightly before using.
Assemble the sandwich cookies
- Spread a generous amount of pumpkin ganache on the flat side of each whole cookie (the ones without faces).
- Top with a jack-o'-lantern face cookie to form a sandwich.
- Decorate with orange and black icing for an extra festive touch. (Optional)
Notes
If you don't want to use artificial food coloring, try these natural food coloring options:
- Beet powder mixed with turmeric
- Carrot juice concentrate
- Paprika use sparingly
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