These cookies are the perfect accompaniment to a cup of a hot tea or make a great afternoon snack if you bring your lunch to work. They are soft and cakey with the subtlest hint of spice from the cinnamon and nutmeg. The tartness of the Granny Smith Apple provides a nice balance to the rich frosting. Their simple appearance is deceiving – you’ll be really pleased how good they taste when you bite into them. It’s the happiest I’ve been with a recipe in months.
Yield: 36 small cookies (makes 18 sandwiches). Since you’ll be sandwiching the cookies with a rich frosting you want to make them much smaller than you would oatmeal cookies that are meant to be eaten on their own.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 peeled, finely diced Granny Smith Apple
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (I left out since I was sandwiching them with PB frosting)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture until well blended. Fold in the oats and apples. Drop dough by spoonfuls about 2 inches onto ungreased cookie sheets. Slightly flatten cookies with wet fingers.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Definitely check the cookies at 12 minutes. You want them to still be soft, but not wet. Let cool on wire racks.
Peanut Butter Frosting:
(You’ll probably end up with 3/4 cup of frosting left over. It stores well in the fridge for several weeks).
5 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 stick of butter at room temperature
2 1/2 cups of confectioner’s sugar
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter (use Skippy or Jiff. You don’t want natural peanut butter for this.)
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, bet the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Set a timer and step away from the bowl. You really don’t want to cut the mixing time short.
Add the peanut butter and mix until thoroughly combined.
Assemble the cookies
Flip all the cookies so the flat sides are up. Using the same cookie scoop you used to scoop the scoop the cookies, place one scoop of filling on top of each cookie. Take a second cookies and place is on top of the filling. Gently press on the top cake to so the filling sticks to both sides. Once the sandwiches are assembled keep the cookies stored in the refrigerator. Will keep well for up to 3 days. These cookies are slightly sticky so if you need to layer them in a storage container be sure to put a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap between the layers.
