Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies

 

I came home the other day to find these delicious little morsels sitting on the counter top. Spouse had been inspired to make these gorgeous chocolate and orange shortbread cookies, sandwiched together with a little orange buttercream frosting. It is quite a dark chocolate cookie which compliments the sweet orange filling very well. So good with a tall glass of ice cold milk.

Makes about 2 dozen sandwich cookies

Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies

Sift together:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups cocoa

 

Cream together:

1 1/2 cups cold butter

1  1/4 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 3 oranges finely grated

 

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture to form a dough. Chill for about an hour, then roll out the dough and cut out to about a quarter inch thick. Cut individual cookies out with a 2 inch cookie cutter and bake at 350 degrees F for 12-13 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Orange Buttercream Filling

1/2 cup butter

2 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp minced orange zest

3 or 4 tablespoons milk

Beat all together until smooth using only enough milk to bring the frosting to  a workable consistency. It should be stiffer than frosting for a cake.

 

Spoon a teaspoon or so between two of the shortbread cookies and squeeze together to form the sandwich cookie.