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BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT SANDWICH COOKIES

Dough

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
• 1¾ teaspoons salt
• 5½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1¾ teaspoons vanilla
• 1¾ cups cocoa powder
• 1¾ teaspoons baking soda
• 2 pounds 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Filling

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2½ sticks unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 2 drops red food coloring

• 3 cups crushed red and white candy canes or hard peppermint candies

Cookies

Melt chocolate in double boiler, set aside to cool.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate.

Shape into logs about 3 inches wide and 12 inches long. Roll in parchment and plastic, freeze overnight.

Remove logs from freezer and defrost in refrigerator. Unwrap from parchment and plastic, cut into even slices about ¼" to ½" thick. Place on nonstick sheet pan, bake at 350 for about 10 - 12 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Filling

Beat butter and powdered sugar in mixer. Add peppermint extract. Add food coloring to your taste. Frost one cookie and sandwich it between a second cookie. Roll the edges in crushed candy canes.

Makes about 4 dozen sandwiches.

CARROT CAKE SANDWICH COOKIES

Cookie Dough

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2¼ teaspoons baking soda
• 2½ teaspoons salt
• 5 sticks room temperature, unsalted butter
• 14 oz granulated sugar
• 14 oz light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 5 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans
• 2-1/3 cups cup currants

Filling

• 6 8-ounce packages cream cheese
• 1¼ cup honey
• 1 bag sweetened coconut, toasted

Cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until smooth.

Add remaining ingredients and mix until just combined. Using small ice cream scoop, scoop out dough onto a nonstick sheet pan. It is important that they are all the same shape and size.

Cook at 350 for about 12 - 16 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned and springy to the touch. Remove from oven and sheet pan, cool on rack.

Toast coconut. Beat cream cheese and honey until smooth. Stir in toasted coconut.

Once cookies are cooled, flip over with flat side up. Frost with ¼ inch of cream cheese and coconut filling. Gently press second cookie flat side down onto cream cheese, forming sandwich. Refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.