Pink Lemonade Sandwich Cookies

Our nieces AC and LB spent the afternoon with us on Saturday and when I saw this recipe in the May issue of Everyday Food, I knew we had to try them. (Despite the name I gave it, the lemon flavor is subtle.) LB loves pink and cookies, so this was right up her alley. After reading the recipe, I decided the girls would like the filling better if it was icing (me too, actually); the original was whipped cream. The cookies are made exactly from the recipe, but the filling isn't. In fact I used raspberry jam instead of fresh or frozen raspberries to make it more kid friendly. These cookies were a hit! The texture is soft and pillowy. The brown sugar in the cookie batter lends a caramelized flavor, and the pink icing adds just enough richness. Enjoy!

Pink Lemonade Sandwich Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup plus 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
Zest from 2 lemons
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup raspberry preserves
1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. almond extract

1. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer. Beat in zest and next 2 ingredients. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Drop batter onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets (I used a 2 Tbsp.-size scoop.)
2. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until done. Cool on pans 10 minutes; remove to racks to cool completely.
3. Beat cream cheese and next 2 ingredients with a mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar to create desired spreading consistency. Stir in almond extract.
4. Spread icing mixture on one side of half of cookies; top with remaining cookie halves.