Tuesday, July 5, 2011

COPYCAT - Mother's Taffy Sandwich Cookies

I've been conducting some experiments lately in which I seek to copy some of my favorite store-bought cookies.
I've always loved Mother's Taffy Cookies. BTW - Anyone know why they are called Taffy cookies?? Coconut Cookies seems more fitting..

Anyway, I simply googled "mother's taffy cookie recipe" and found the following recipe below.

They didn't really remind me of the Taffy Cookies at all. The filling was cloyingly sweet and didn't firm up appropriately, so I didn't use it. I just rolled the cold dough into balls and baked them. I got a pretty rich, nutty, buttery cookie that I actually liked very much!



Mother's Taffy Sandwich Cookies - Copycat recipe

Cookie:

3/4 cup flaked coconut, (measure before toasting & grinding)
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
Cream filling (recipe below)

Spread flaked coconut on a cookie sheet and toast under 
a broiler until golden brown . Grind toasted coconut to 
a cornmeal like consistency in a food processor.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Stir in 
ground toasted coconut. Mix well.

In another bowl beat butter, granulated sugar, brown 
sugar and vanilla extract with a mixer until creamy. Add 
eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition. 
Gradually beat in flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a disc 1/2 inch thick. 
Wrap each disc of dough in plastic wrap. 
Place in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

When dough is chilled, preheat oven to 375-degrees F.

Roll out dough on floured surface until it is about 1/8 inch thick. 
Sprinkle flour over dough if needed to prevent sticking. 
Cut out cookies with a 1 x 1 1/2-inch rectangular shaped cookie cutter.

Place cookies onto cookie sheets. Drag a fork along the length of each 
cookie to form grooves and roughen the top surface.

Bake at 375-degrees F for 9 to 11 minutes, until cookies are slightly golden brown.

Place baked cookies on wire rack to cool.

When cooled, spread cream filling (recipe below) on 
smooth side of one cookie and press smooth side of 
another cookie on top to form a cookie sandwich.
Press cookies together until filling shows at sides. 

Use about 1 teaspoon of cream filling for each cookie pair. 
Use a small metal spatula to dip in filling and spread on cookie center. 

Place cookies back on wire racks and allow cookie filling to dry for several hours. 
Store cookies loosely covered.


Cream filling:

2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup chilled Whipped honey (also known as spun honey)
4 tsp hot water
1 tsp vanilla extract

Using a fork, stir together until blended, 
confectioners' sugar, chilled Whipped honey, water and 
vanilla; filling will be sticky. If needed, stir in more 
confectioners' sugar to make the filling easier to work with.

Makes about 2 dozen sandwich cookies.