Soft Sugar Cookies with Cookie Dough Frosting

The last couple of weeks have been filled with the Jewish High Holy Days, so needless to say we have been a little bit busy going to temple and enjoying family dinners. For Rosh Hashanah we typically head to my in-laws for dinner, which features some of our favorites: Chicken in Phyllo Dough and Carrot Soufflé.

Since we drive about an hour to see them, I usually bring a dessert that travels well. I brought two this time! I hadn't made Cinnamon Apple Cake in many years, so it was nice to revisit an old favorite that always turns out perfectly.  I also wanted to bring something that would appeal to the kid in all of us, so I went to one of my favorite cookbooks: The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook. Every recipe I've made from this book has been to-die-for!

When I saw the recipe for Soft Sugar Cookies with Cookie Dough Frosting, I just knew we'd have another favorite... my only hesitation was the instruction to roll out the dough. I rebelled... I opted to hand shape the cookies, and they turned out beautifully for me. You see... rolling out dough for cookies, pie crusts or really anything is not something that works well for me... it tends to become kind of ugly in my kitchen when I'm attempting it.

These cookies will remind you of the supermarket cookies that you get that have the frosting on them... only better because you know all the ingredients that go into them and you can change up the frosting according to what you like... but, I would highly recommend going with the chocolate chip cookie dough frosting from this recipe!

I reached out to the lovely, Lindsay Landis who wrote the cookbook and currently writes the blog, Love and Olive Oil and she gave me permission to share the recipe here so that you can also make these incredible cookies!

Soft Sugar Cookies with Cookie Dough Frosting

Recipe by Lindsay Landis, The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (or more as needed)

For the frosting: 

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 4 cups powdered sugar, or more as needed
  
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
  
• 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  

Cooking Directions

1. Using a stand mixer, beat together shortening and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add each egg individually, allowing to incorporate before adding the next.
   
   
2. Add in the heavy cream and vanilla and continue to mix until smooth. Add the salt, baking powder and baking soda to the mixture; then add the flour, one cup at a time. Once the dough is mixed, it will be soft, but not sticky. If it is sticky add a little more flour (1 tablespoon at a time) until it is no longer sticky. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
   
   
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   
   
4. Shape dough into round discs about 1/4 inch thick using about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie - my cookies were about 2 inches wide. Place on parchment lined baking sheets. Allow to bake for 8-10 minutes, watch to ensure that they do not overbake!
   
   
5. Prepare frosting by combining butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Add in flour and salt, then vanilla. Once those ingredients are incorporated, add 4 cups of powdered sugar to the mixture - one cup at a time. Once mixed in, add the heavy cream and beat until fluffy. If needed add additional powdered sugar to reach a thick, yet spreadable consistency.
   
   
6. Using an offset spatula, frost each cookie with a heaping tablespoon of frosting. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, lightly pressing to ensure that they "stick" to the frosting.
   
   
7. The cookies will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator of up to 3 days, if they last that long!

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.