Cherry Limeade Sandwich Cookies Recipe

These cookies are very similar to the strawberry lemonade sandwich cookies that I posted a few days ago.  However, when I made these cherry limeade cookies I altered the recipe for the cookie a little bit in order to try to get a little softer, more moist texture on the cookie itself.  It worked.  The recipe below is pretty yummy if I do say so myself!

Cherry Sugar Cookie:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup (1/2 stick) shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more to roll cookies in)
Coarse red decorator sugar
1 3oz. box Black Cherry Jello mix (I couldn't find a 3 oz. size for Black Cherry, so I poured the 6 oz. package into a measuring cup and poured half into the mix)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons milk

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees or 375 degrees using a true convection setting (recommended.)

Begin by creaming the shortening, softened butter, sugar and Jello mix.  When ingredients are well mixed add eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Next take the baking soda and, in a small bowl, stir together with the milk.  Add this to your mixture along with the baking powder and mix well.  Finally, add remaining dry ingredients and stir slowly at first then on medium for about 3 minutes.

Unlike many sugar cookie doughs, this dough does not need to be refrigerated before manipulating.

Lightly grease two cookie sheets.  Prepare a bowl with granulated sugar.  Spoon dough out of the bowl in roughly consistent amounts using a spoon and roll the ball of dough in the sugar.  Then place dough on the cookie sheets.

Once all balls are down, take the bottom of a glass and press the cookies to about 1/4" thickness.  Sprinkle red sugar over the top of each cookie.  Bake for 6 minutes.  Allow to thoroughly cool before frosting.

Lime Butter Frosting:

1/2 of a 2 lb. bag of Confectioner's Sugar (approximately 3 3/4 level cups)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) well softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 shake salt
1 tablespoon milk
zest from 2 limes
juice from 2 limes

Mix all ingredients together in a mixer on low until just blended and then on medium for 3 minutes or until fluffy.  Spoon mixture into gallon size Ziplock bag and refrigerate for approximately 15-30 minutes.

When cookies have completely cooled, snip the tip off the Ziplock bag and squeeze frosting onto the unsugared side of half of the cookies.  Lightly press the other cookies on top to form the sandwich.  Refrigerate cookies that are not immediately eaten in an airtight container.  They are even better on day 2!


Enjoy!