< Previousfruit: fresh and floral 153 spiced vanilla cranberry sandwich cookies (continued) for the cranberry filling ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature ⅓ cup (80 ml) prepared cranberry puree 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp salt 2½–2¾ cups (300–330 g) sifted confectioners’ sugar 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) milk (optional) Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place one dough sheet onto a piece of parchment paper. Using a small 2-inch (5-cm) biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out rounds of chilled dough. Repeat until all the dough has been cut into round pieces. Gently gather the excess dough, and roll it back into a ball in plastic wrap. Chill it in the fridge to be rolled out for another batch. Gently lift the cut pieces of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges turn a very light golden brown and the centers are lighter in color. Remove the cookies from the oven. Keep the cookies on the hot baking sheets for 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature. While the first batch of cookies bakes, pull out the second dough sheet and repeat the process. While the cookies cool, make the filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cranberry puree on medium-low speed for 4 to 5 minutes, or until creamy and well combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla and salt on low until smooth and well combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup (60 g) at a time, beating each until incorporat- ed. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Beat on medium until the buttercream is fully incorporated and to your desired consistency. If the buttercream is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of milk, beating until well incorporated. To assemble, apply the desired amount of filling to the bottom of one cookie. Place the bottom of another cookie to the frosted side of the first cookie. Gently press together and repeat. Unfrosted cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Once the cookies are sandwiched together, they should be stored individually wrapped in wax paper in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. tip: Store the filling in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to apply to the cookies. Bring the filling to room temperature before applying to the cookies. Next >