Hey guys, Happy holidays! With the holidays in full force I’m sure everyone needs a break and some time to unwind. Being a parent is tough and you deserve something for yourself. One of my favorite treats is wine and of course cookies, I realized they pair so well together. And, after 9 months of not drinking I definitely look forward to having a glass here and there. Let's be real, milk and cookies is for the kids. So, I'm going to pair a few wines with some of our favorite cookies at the bake shop. And, I'm sharing the recipe for our Spiced Sandwich Cookies that also include a gluten free version (of course!)
Who doesn’t love a good Champagne? With New Years Eve just a few days away I have paired our Snickerdoodle Sandwich Cookie with a bubbly! Some people might think that drinking a very sweet bubbly would be too much with a cookie, but you can choose different varieties of Champagne that aren’t as sweet to help balance out your cookie. A Brut Champagne or a Extra Brut Champagne will be on the less sweet side, versus an Extra Dry or Dry Champagne that will have a higher sugar content. Our Snickerdoodle Sandwich Cookie has a cinnamon-sugary coating with vanilla bean buttercream in the center. Even though it is a sandwich cookie, this one is light just like champagne so it pairs perfectly.
Everyone loves Rosé, so the next pairing I suggest is a Rosé with our Sprinkled Shortbread Cookies (which we sell daily at the bake shop). A Rosé often has hints of roses, gardenias, melons, and orange blossoms. And pairing it with a buttery shortbread covered in sprinkles is just perfect. The simplicity, which is a good thing, of the sprinkled shortbread brings out the flavors found in a Rosé. This pairing is great for a spring or summer party. A Rosé that has flavors of peach and watermelon will bring a smile to your face as you eat cookies and sip wine in warmer weather. This is one of my favorite flavor combinations for summer! I'm giving you something to look forward to.
A red wine that I really love is a Malbec. A Malbec is a heavier red than a Pinot Noir. It is a very fruit forward wine. Malbec has a very robust, spicy flavor filled with dark fruit flavors. The black cherry, plum, raspberry, and blackberry go really well with chocolate. So I like to drink it with our Vegan Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookie (or in my case the gluten free version :) This cookie is a soft and chewy cookie with dark chocolate chunks topped off with sugar and sea salt. It is a perfect pairing!
Lastly, is our Spiced Sandwich Cookies with a Pinot Noir. The spices used for this shortbread work really well with the black cherry, currant, and berry tones of a Pinot Noir. In a Pinot Noir you can often get the aroma and flavor of roses, plums, and berries as well. A Pinot Noir isn’t a very heavy red wine, it is made from red grapes that are on the lighter side. It also often has a low or smooth acidity which balances well with this spiced cookie. One of my favorite Pinot Noir’s is by a winery in Napa, California called Lola. It has a smooth finish and you taste black cherry, strawberry, and vanilla which are a great combination with a spiced shortbread. You can find the recipe below - it's perfect to bake and enjoy during the last part of the Holidays.
Spiced Sandwich Cookies
Makes 18 Sandwich Cookies
Dough
1 cup (226 grams) organic salted butter, softened
142 grams (1 cup) organic powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract
1 teaspoon organic ginger
1 teaspoon organic cloves
1 teaspoon organic cinnamon
255 grams (2 cups) organic all purpose flour
Filling
1/2 cup (113 grams) organic salted butter, softened
227 grams (1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon) organic powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon organic ground vanilla bean
1 teaspoon organic milk
Method Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix on low until all ingredients are combined, and there’s no butter chunks. Add flour, mix on low until combined.
Using your hands form the dough into 36 balls and place on prepared baking sheets. Flatten them slightly so they are about 1 3/4-inches in diameter and look like a round disk. Space them at least 1 inch apart, they will spread a little when baking.
Bake for 13 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Allow to cool completely on the cookie sheets.
Once the cookies have cooled, turn over every other cookie to make pairs.
To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla bean and milk. Mix on low until all ingredients are combined, then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
Put frosting in a piping bag. Pipe frosting onto all the turned over cookies, sandwich cookies together.
Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Gluten Free - Replace the organic flour with 57 grams (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon) organic coconut flour and 226 grams (1 1/2 scant cups) organic gluten free flour blend, my favorite is Namaste Organic Perfect Flour Blend. Also, when balling the cookies you want to flatten them to about 2 inches because they won’t expand as much as regular cookies.
High Altitude - Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges.
Did you make this recipe? Make sure to tag @dessertdorganic on Instagram!