Do-Si-Dos

Who doesn't love girl scout cookie season?! What I don't love though, is how expensive they are these days. Of course we'll continue to buy a few boxes when we can to support the cause, but it's also fun to make your own, and know that you can have them any time of the year. Sadly, we didn't buy any do-si-dos this year so I don't have anything to compare these cookies to, but if my memory serves me right, they are pretty darn close to the real thing. The cookie is very light and crunchy, and the smooth filling really ties the whole thing together. These are very far from being figure-friendly, so I tried to give away as much as I could, but they are a fun treat to hand out.

This recipe is kind of time consuming from start to finish because to be authentic, the cookies must be small and you have to make a lot of cookies in order to get roughly 48 sandwiches. However, because they are so thin, the cookies take very little time to cool so you can start filling as you go.

Morgan wanted a treat too! I really wasn't teasing her, she just came running when she smelled food, but I left her have a little piece just because she's so cute.

Homemade Do-si-dos a.k.a. Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Source: Adapted from Baking Bites

Cookies
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant or regular)

Filling
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 - 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, taste as you add

Preheat oven to 350F.


Start with the cookies. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and peanut butter. Beat in the sugars until fluffy, then add in the eggs one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in vanilla extract.

Working at a low speed, mix in the flour, followed by the oats (if you don’t have quick-cooking, pulse whole rolled oats in the food processor to chop them up a bit).

On a parchment-lined baking sheet, drop teaspoonfuls of batter (roughly 3/4-in. sized balls), leaving about 2 inches between each to allow for spread.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until cookies are a light golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, making small holes in 1/2 of the cookies (for the tops of the sandwiches) before they set up. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cookies have cooled, make the filling.

In a large bowl, cream together smooth peanut butter, butter and confectioners’ sugar until very smooth. Pour filling into pastry bag or quart size ziplock bag. Cut corner of bag and squeeze 1 tbsp. of filling into center of cookie and sandwich with the remaining halves. If you chose to make yours with GS-lookalike holes in some of the cookies, use these as the tops of the sandwiches.

Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 48 sandwich cookies.

Note: Use unsalted butter with this recipe, as different brands of peanut butter can vary hugely in salt content and it’s possible you’ll end up with a too-salty cookie with the salted butter, salted peanut butter and added salt. If you must use salted butter and are using brand of peanut butter that seems a bit salty, you can always reduce or eliminate the added salt. Personally, I like the salty sweet combination with peanut butter, but it’s only fair for me to give a little warning just in case!