Spring has sprung! Although most of us across the nation are camped out in our homes right now, there are still some fun ways to celebrate spring from inside, one of which is baking! For me, baking is an escape from the real world for a few hours as I measure, mix, design and create. It is the perfect activity to make the time go by (sometimes a little too quickly!), and there is always a sweet reward at the end 😉 So instead of sitting around watching TV shows for the next few weeks, why not get in the kitchen and bake something?

Speaking of baking something, I have just the thing! How about some soft and perfectly shaped lemon butter cookies sandwiched with a sweet and tangy raspberry buttercream? They would pair perfectly with a cup of tea for an indoor tea party, or they are also great for snacking! …Maybe a little too great for snacking, as I do not wish to admit how many I consumed even before adding the filling… But that’s beside the point! The point is, these little sandwich cookies are quite delightful, and a lot of fun to make.

First, you’ll want to bake the cookies. The dough might be quite crumbly at first, which is how it should be! When you roll it out, it all magically comes together in a beautiful, smooth cookie dough. Next, take your 2-inch round cutter and get to cookie cutter-ing! Bake for about 10 minutes, cool for 3 on the pans, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

While the cookies cool, prepare that raspberry buttercream filling! You’ll first cook the raspberries over medium heat until they have melted to a syrup. Next, strain the seeds out using a fine mesh strainer, and set aside the juice to cool completely. Now you can begin the buttercream itself, adding the raspberry juice when cooled. *Hint: I just stuck the juice in the fridge for a few minutes which did the trick!* When the cookies are cooled and the buttercream is ready, use a fancy tip to pipe the filling onto the cookies, topping it with the remaining cookies to make little sandwiches.

Happy baking!

Raspberry Lemonade Cookies

For the Cookies:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the Buttercream Filling:

• 5 ounces raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

For the Cookies:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in eggs, milk and lemon extract.
3. Gradually add flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda to mixture and mix well.
4. Cover and chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator, or 10-15 minutes in the freezer.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 thickness. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut cookies and place on parchment lined baking sheets.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes before removing from oven. Leave cookies on baking sheet for 3 additional minutes before moving to wire racks to cook completely.

For the Buttercream:

1. Cook raspberries in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted to a sauce.
2. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the sauce, using a spatula or spoon to press all of the juice out. Set strained raspberry sauce aside to cool.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream butter.
4. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar to the butter and combine.
5. Mix in the cooled raspberry sauce and lemon juice.
6. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar to mixture and mix well until smooth.
7. Pipe buttercream onto cookies and top with remaining cookies.

Makes 24 sandwich cookies, plus additional single cookies