Sparkling Vegan Lemon Sandwich Cookies

Back in November, I found myself with a 50% off coupon and some Border's Bucks that needed to be spent. So I wandered around aimlessly for a while (I get kind of overwhelmed, like a kid in a candy store), until I spotted a small book with Gourmet's name on it. I'm a sucker for anything with their stamp since it was such a beautiful, well thought out magazine, and their recipes always work.

So, what was it? The Gourmet Cookie Book! The editors picked their favorite cookie recipe from each year of the magazine's existence, rephotographed and retested them all, and published them all in a beautiful collection.

Due to December in general and Etsy Christmas orders in particular, I wasn't able to bake anything from it. Then I saw this post over on Smitten Kitchen, and her batch of cookies turned out perfectly. Next, I decided that a) I wanted to bring something fun to a New Year's Eve party and b) I wanted to try something new. So I perused the book, and picked out these because they are mini, cute, and sparkly. I chose white, purple, and yellow sugars only because I liked the colors. (For one of my survey responders, purple is my favorite)  In fact, one party-goer commented that these were "the only purple food that actually looked appetizing," which I take as a major compliment!

One of the great things about these is you can totally customize the colors you roll the dough in to coordinate with whatever event you make these for. I'm thinking wedding favors, super bowl parties, or princess birthday parties (whichever is your cup of tea). Plus, they look like macaroons, which are oh-so-trendy right now. AND lemons are in season currently.

I also used a dozen of these mini delights as December's installment of A Year of Sweet Treats. The groom somehow missed them at the party, so they were brand new to him.

Sparkling Vegan Lemon Sandwich Cookies
adapted from The Gourmet Cookie Book, but barely

For Cookies:
2 sticks vegan butter, at room temperature
1/2 C confectioners' sugar
zest from half a lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 C all-purpose flour
2/3 C cornstarch
white and colored sanding sugars

For Filling:
1 C confectioners' sugar
zest from half a lemon
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1/2 stick vegan butter, at room temperature

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

Beat together butter and confectioners' sugar until it's pale and fluffy, then add in zest and vanilla. With the mixer on low, add in flour and cornstarch, and beat just until a soft dough forms.

Put your colored sugars in different bowls. Roll a scant teaspoon of dough into a ball between your hands, and then drop it in the sugar and roll to coat. Place covered balls on baking sheet fairly close together, about 3/4 inch. Chill the sheet of cookies in the freezer for 5-10 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to help preserve their shape when you bake them.

Bake until the cookie tops are slightly cracked but still pale, about 13 minutes. Leave the cookies on the parchment and transfer both to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough on fresh (cool) cookie sheets.

To make the filling, beat together all the filling ingredients in a small/medium bowl with an electric mixer. Transfer frosting to a zip top bag and snip a corner off, or use a disposable pastry bag. Pipe filling onto the flat side of one cookie and sandwich with a second cookie. Keep the sandwiched cookies chilled until ready to eat.

Notes:
If you use regular butter, add 1/4 tsp of salt when you add the flour.

Depending on how fast your oven heats up, you might want to wait to preheat it until you're just about done rolling your first cookie sheet's worth of cookies.

p.s. Don't miss your chance to win some of my delicious vegan & gluten free fudge!