Strawberry Lemonade Sandwich Cookies Recipe

This may be the perfect summer cookie recipe.  It's that good.  These things are incredibly addictive.  Bursting with flavor and oh so pretty...don't say I didn't warn you.

Strawberry Lemonade Sandwich Cookies:

Strawberry Cookie:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
(1) 3 oz. box of Strawberry Jello
1/2 cup (1 stick) shortening
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees or use true convection setting at 375 degrees (I highly recommend convection for these cookies if you have that option available.)

Start by creaming the shortening, butter (well softened first), sugar, Jello and vanilla.  After these ingredients are creamed then add both eggs and beat well.  Finally, add remaining dry ingredients.  Unlike many sugar cookie recipes, this batter does not need to chill before manipulating it.

Prepare a bowl of granulated sugar.  Scoop dough from bowl in reasonably uniform amounts (I used a melon-baller.)  Roll ball of dough in bowl of granulated sugar and place ball on lightly greased cookie sheet.  After all balls are laid on the sheet, use the bottom of a glass to flatten dough to approximately 1/4-1/2 inch thickness.   Finally, go back over the cookies and sprinkle coarse pink sugar over the tops of the cookies.

Bake for 6 minutes.

Remove cookies and cool thoroughly on the sheet.  While cooling, you can make the frosting.

 Lemonade Butter Frosting:

1/2 of a 2lb. 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 1 1/2 lemons
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons

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

When cookies are completely cooled, cut tip from Ziplock bag and pipe frosting onto inside of each cookie, adding another cookie on top to create the sandwich.  Once you create the sandwiches, you should refrigerate the cookies and store in an airtight container.  I thought that they tasted better the day after.

There you go!  I think these cookies just taste like summer...let me know what you think!