Description
Delight in these charming Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches, featuring soft, colorful sugar cookies paired with a creamy vanilla filling. Perfect as a sweet treat for parties or everyday indulgence, these cookies have a tender crumb with vibrant pastel hues and a luscious, fluffy filling that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sugar Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Gel food coloring (pink, yellow, green, blue, and purple)
For the Vanilla Filling:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside for baking the cookies.
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly until combined.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually incorporate this dry mix into the wet ingredients on low speed, forming a thick but soft dough. Add the milk and mix just until combined.
- Color the Dough: Divide the dough evenly into five portions. Tint each portion with a different gel food coloring (pink, yellow, green, blue, and purple), kneading each until the color is evenly distributed.
- Shape and Bake: Roll tablespoon-sized dough portions into smooth balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set and the tops show slight cracks but no browning. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Make the Vanilla Filling: Beat softened butter in a bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in heavy cream (or milk), vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Continue beating until the filling is fluffy and spreadable. Adjust thickness by adding more cream or powdered sugar as needed.
- Assemble the Cookie Sandwiches: Pair cooled cookies of similar size. Spread a generous amount of filling on the flat side of one cookie using a piping bag or spoon, then top with the matching cookie. Press gently to evenly spread the filling.
- Set Before Serving: Allow the assembled cookie sandwiches to rest for about 10 minutes so the filling firms slightly and melds the cookies together for the perfect texture.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant pastel shades without affecting dough texture.
- If dough gets too soft while handling, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes before rolling.
- Store cookie sandwiches in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to one week.
- Let chilled cookies come to room temperature before serving for optimal texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie sandwich
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
