Lemon Cream Sandwich Cookies

 

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When I was very young I was, like most American girls, very briefly a girl scout.  I don't remember much about being a girl scout other then that I liked the cookies, particularly one variety a lemon sandwich cookie.  I can't really remember exactly what they were like but I ate a ton of them, and when I found a recipe for lemon cream sandwich cookies in an old copy of Gourmet I decided to see if they where anything like my girl scout cookie memories.

 

Lemon Cream Sandwich Cookies adapted very slightly from Gourmet

• Filling:
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lemon peel
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups (packed) powdered sugar
  
  Cookies:
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
• 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks

Filling
In a mortar and pestle or with a food processor mash the lemon peel and the salt together until well mixed.  Put in the mixer bowl and add the butter, beat until fluffy.  Beat the in the sugar until very light and fluffy (this makes a lot of filling so if you want a more modestly filled cookie cut in half.)  Store filling in the refrigerator while you make the cookies.

Cookies
In a small pan boil the juice and peel until reduced to about 2 tbsp, about four minutes.  Pour into a small bowl and set aside.  In another bowl sift together the four salt and baking soda.   In the electric mixer beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until well mixed.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the egg yolks.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Beat in the lemon juice mixture.   Stir in the flour mixture until well blended.   Half the cookie dough.  Put one half on parchment paper and form into a log about 10-12 inches.  Do the same with the remaining dough.  Refrigerator over night or for at least 2 hours, preferably four.

Preheat the oven 375.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Slice the cookies into  rounds about 1/4 inch thick.  Place on the baking sheets and bake, watching very closely as they can burn quickly, 8-12 minutes, Id start checking at 7 minutes.  The cookies should be browning around the edges.  Let cookies cool 5 minutes on sheet pan and then until completely cool on racks.  Once cool top half the cookies with the filling and then top with the remaining cookies.

I can't say these are just like the girl scout cookies I remember, but they do remind me of them.

Of course the girl scouts have a long and rich history, since they were founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1911.

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 Girl Scouts provided girls with opportunities to play sports and participate in camping and outdoor activities previously only available to boys.  There are many collectors of old girl scout uniforms, badges, and trinkets and there are of course millions of photographs of girl scouts from throughout their 100 year history.

Girl Scouts in the 1920s Image Source

African American Girl Scouts in the 1930s, Image Source

Girl Scouts in the 1940s, image source

Girl Scout Calendar from 1954, Image Source

Girl Scouts in the 1960s, Iamge Source