Valentine's Day Treat

These Cookies. Enough said.

Sometimes I like to bake healthy treats...other times, I bake desserts with all things you should never really eat. But as we discussed in my nutrition class yesterday...there are no "good" and "bad" foods, but all foods fit in moderation. So here's to all foods...including melted white chocolate, cream cheese, vanilla pudding mix, and marshmallow cream puff :)

White Chocolate Cheesecake Sandwich Cookies with Raspberry Buttercream

Recipe from Sugar Plum Blog

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
• 1 package (8 oz) of reduced fat cream cheese
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (I used sugar free)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup white chocolate chips, melted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cups toasted almonds
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

For the buttercream:

• 1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 cup marshmallow cream
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract

Start by mixing (on medium speed) the butter, sugar, and cream cheese together in a large mixing bowl. Beat about one minute, then add in the pudding mix, egg, and vanilla. Beat until all combined. Beat in melted white chocolate, baking powder, and salt until combined. Put mixer speed on low and add the flour and toasted almonds. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare the buttercream. Puree the raspberries in a food processor. Transfer raspberry puree to a large mixing bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the butter and confectioner's sugar until creamy (about 1 minute). Beat in marshmallow cream and almond extract until just combined. If you would like a thicker buttercream, add extra confectioner's sugar.

Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and roll out the dough on a clean surface with flour. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter cut out hearts of dough until there is no more space to do so. Roll up the remaining dough and re-spread to shape more hearts. Repeat until all of the dough has been used. (You can also just roll the dough into small balls for traditional cookies). Line the cookies up on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cooled, add the buttercream to half of the cookies. Top with the other half of plain cookies.

We enjoyed these as a valentine's treat. 

Hope you all had a great and delicious valentine's day as well!

Happy Friday Friends!