Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

I am currently in the holiday state of mind, ready to slip on my flip-flops, bikini, slap on the suntan oil and spend the day on the sand with a good book and a frilly looking cocktail. Here on the Equator, we're lucky enough to have constant holiday weather, but I'll do you one better: we're headed to the beautiful North Island of New Zealand next week for a family holiday!

It'll be my first time there, and I'm not entirely sure what kind of clothes I need to pack... for warm weather, chilly weather or just beach clothes. Guess a cardigan or two wont harm me.

The best part about going to New Zealand, though? I get to meet with Kirstie and Tegan, two friends I've known for a very long time from SnitchSeeker, and I'm contemplating bringing my ratty old SS t-shirt just to make it easier for them to spot me in a crowd. We'll see how these visits go, I'm so excited!

The other thing I thought of when I heard we'd be going away for a week was: Ohmigosh, I can't leave my blog for a week! I'd lose any readership I had managed to gain in the past few months! lol yes, it is a very real worry for me. So I've figured out a solution... you'll see.

Anyway, let's continue with the festive themed treats, today I bring you the very simple, and yet sinfully sweet and pretty Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies. I used a recipe from Paula Deen, with very small tweaks (maybe cos I don't read instructions well and was too lazy to buy ingredients).

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp buttermilk
• 2 tsp distilled white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp red colouring

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 250g cream cheese, softened
• 110g butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a larger bowl, beat the sugar and butter together with an electric mixer until fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time
4. Add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and colouring and beat until incorporated
5. Once the wet mixture is fully combined, add the flour  mixture and beat until incorporated (gotta find another word for combined, incorporated...) 
6. Drop the dough onto the cookie sheet in teaspoonful amounts, or if you have a small ice-cream scoop that's even better. Space the dough roughly 2 inches away from each other cos trust me, babeh, these will spreaaad.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, or until fully baked through, and allow to cool on the pan for a few minutes before removing to the cooling rack to allow it to cool completely. Is the word cool starting to sound funny to you? 
8. For the frosting: beat cream cheese and sugar together until fluffy (use a hand mixer), then add vanilla, beat for a bit more, then add the sugar 1/2 a cup at a time. 
9. Once the cookies have cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting between them and ENJOY! 

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. I got my 10 year old brother and 11 year old sister to do the last step for me, while I sat in a corner giving orders and re-reading Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones. Santa and her elves, that's right. Should've given them bells, too. Drat. 

These are cute, tasty and fun to make. Though, I made the mistake of putting the completed sandwiches in the fridge, so here's a tip: make the frosting ahead of time and refrigerate so it firms up and you won't need to put the whole sandwiches in. I've got so much left over frosting, that I'm good for another 3 batches of cookies I think. Whoops, now you all know what you're getting for Christmas! 

Much love,

Nabs