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Nutty Lemon Sandwich Cookies

I wanted to make something non-chocolate for the holidays. Yes, I know, there's white chocolate in there, but white chocolate isn't really chocolate, right?  It has cocoa butter in it, but no chocolate solids, so I figure that's fine for someone not wanting chocolate.

Stacey's Nutty Cookie Ingredients
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, organic
1 c brown sugar, organic
1 c white sugar, organic
1/4 c peanut butter, organic
2 tbs sunflower seed butter (found this at Trader Joe's)
1 tbs Vanilla Bean Paste
2 c almond meal/flour
2 c unbleached white flour, organic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder

cookie sheet(s)

Stacey's Nutty Lemon Filling Ingredients
6 oz Guittard white chocolate couverture (you could probably use white chocolate chips or any white chocolate block)
2 oz heavy cream, organic
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp citric acid, powdered


First I made the filling since it needs to sit and thicken over time. Melt the chocolate by heating for 30 second increments in a pyrex (or any heat-safe) measuring cup and stir until melted.  If it gets too hot, it will start to clump so if you have a temperature gun (this one is my favorite), make sure it doesn't get above about 110F. Heat the cream and vanilla bean paste separately to about 100F and then gently stir it into the melted chocolate. Then mix the citric acid into the lemon juice and gently mix that into the white chocolate mix.

If you stir white chocolate too vigorously, it may come out of emulsion and you'll end up with a lumpy, greasy mess.  You can try adding a little warm water (like a teaspoon at a time) to make it come back together if this happens to you.  The more water you add, the thinner it will get and you won't be able to spread it as thickly, so be careful.

When finished, put plastic wrap over the surface of the filling and allow to thicken / cool to room temperature.  This may take a couple hours.

Now for the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Soften the butter in the microwave and then cream it with the sugars, peanut and sunflower seed butters, and vanilla bean paste.  Then mix in the dry ingredients.  It should be thick and dough-like.


Make 1-2 tbs size balls and put them on your cookie sheet.


Bake them for about 12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet once at the halfway point.  Once they come out of the oven, leave them on the cookie sheet to cool for about 10 minutes and then put them on a rack to cool further.


Once they are cool, and your filling is thick, you can start spreading the filling on them with a butter knife and making your sandwiches.


These were so good.  It's too bad I gave most of them away for the holidays.  Or maybe it's good, because I would have eaten them all.  :)
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