Orange Pomegranate Sandwich Cookies

Orange Pomegranate Sandwich Cookies
Orange Pomegranate Sandwich Cookies

The kids loved it! Well… the new proud big kids of an adorable baby girl. We’re all kids, regardless of our age, right? A couple months ago, I had quite a stressful week. A personal event occurred that remains us that life is never completely stable, and a dear friend passed away. It was a momentous week. The day after the unexpected funeral, there was my friend’s scheduled baby shower. I showed up shamefully empty handed without a gift, but the party was fun. I promised the mother to visit her with a homemade cake as a gift, because she was craving sweets. However, a short time afterwards, my phone beeped a text message, for she had become a new mother. To respect her family’s time, I decided to wait until after Thanksgiving to schedule a visit.

My visit occurred on a rainy day. The second weekend after the boyfriend had just left for California. It was seriously cold. The chill temperature was a remainder of how much I was going to miss him. He’ll return briefly for Christmas. Family and friends are asking us about our holiday plans. We’re going to church. I’m making dinner. We plan to be cozy. Enjoy each other. I’ve just learned, his visit has been cut down to one and half weeks, instead of a full month. Life is emotionally hard these days, and it has more to do with not having my superman immediately at my side.

Being miles apart have made us realize how much we have become one in the two years of being together. We go to birthdays, holidays, weddings, funerals, and baby events together. He would’ve loved to come with me to visit my dear friends who have just become new parents.

This time, it was only myself sans the other half that arrived at the new mother’s apartment with a gift bag of Orange Pomegranate Sandwich cookies. The buttery cookies were baked the night before. The next morning, the butter cream was flavored with orange zest and pomegranate molasses, and it was whipped smooth. The cream’s consistency was just perfect, soft and slightly stiff for a cookie sandwich. The flavor was bright and it made up for the sunshine that was missing that day. Like little kids finally enjoying dessert, the new parents’ eyes widened big when they had their first citrus buttery bite.

The conversation drifted about how much her life had changed, and the steps she’s doing to return it to normal. We have learned that life as we formally described as “normal” is the past. I learned that newbies only drink milk for a few months before progressing to pureed food in those small glass jars sold in the supermarket. There’s a mental note to remake these cookies, when her baby starts eating solid foods. I’m optimistic the new kid will like them, too. Hopefully, in such transitions from liquid to pureed to solid, our redefined lives will be considered normal, with a new set of rules, of course. And, we can return to being big kids, again.

Orange Butter Cookies

Orange Pomegranate Cookie Sandwiches
Orange Pomegranate Cookie Sandwiches

Ingredients
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter; room-temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg; room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
The zest of one orange; grated
3 cups flour; extra for rolling the dough
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. milk

Directions
1. Cream the butter, sugar and peanut butter until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes. Meanwhile mix or shift the dry ingredients and the nutmeg together.

2. Add the egg, orange zest, nutmeg and vanilla until just incorporated. Add the dry ingredients to the batter. Add just enough milk as needed.

3. Shape dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove the plastic wrap and cut dough in half. Place one-half back in the refrigerator.

5. Lightly flour a clean surface. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out dough to 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick. Continue to add flour to the rolling pin and surface as needed, to prevent stickiness. Cut rolled dough with a cookie cutter (any size from 1″ to 2-1/2″ in diameter will work). Place cookies on a lightly buttered cookie sheet, at least 1/2″ inch apart. Repeat this step with the second half of the dough in the refrigerator.

6. Bake cookies until the edges are lightly, golden brown; about 6 to 10 minutes (different ovens will vary the time, as well as personal taste for lightly chewy to crunchy). After the cookies has been removed from the oven, let rest for 1 minute. Place cookies onto a cooling rack.

Orange Pomegranate Cream

Ingredients
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter; room temperature
1-3/4 cups powdered sugar
A pinch of sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. pomegranate molasses
The zest of one orange
1 tsp. of fresh orange juice

Directions
1. Whisk all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

Assembling the Orange Pomegranate Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients
Orange Butter Cookies
Orange Pomegranate Cream

Directions
1. Spread about a teaspoon of Orange Pomegranate Cream on top of the bottom (brown color) of a Orange Butter Cookie. Place another Orange Butter Cookie on top. Repeat with the other cookies and cream.

2. Enjoy!


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5 thoughts on “Orange Pomegranate Sandwich Cookies

  • January 24, 2011 at 10:20 pm
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    Hi, Veronica! Thank you for visiting my site and for your interest in the brownies. That post is scheduled for Feb. 1st. It was my mistake to submit a photo to the Los Angeles Times before the recipe was posted. I’m sending you an email with the recipe. Let me know how it comes out.

  • January 24, 2011 at 9:47 pm
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    I saw this recipe, Banana Rum Brownies, on the Los Angeles Times [website], but when I go to the website, MyLifeRunsOnFood.com, it does not show up. I would like to get this recipe if I could. Thank You, Veronica

  • December 21, 2010 at 9:33 am
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    Hey Sanura, I think it’s very sweet that you went to the baby shower empty handed despite your harrowing week. A lot of people would have just thought they don’t have a gift and skipped it, but the way you handled it was very selfless and thoughtful. I will remember that next time I’m running behind and having a hard time;-)
    And so sorry about your friend. I can’t imagine a young person I know passing, so I hope you’re okay.
    Oh, I almost forgot your cookies! They are so pretty, and I’m sure-delicious!

  • December 20, 2010 at 9:48 pm
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    sounds yummy! 🙂 I will add this to my “one-day-i-will-make-this” list

  • December 20, 2010 at 9:27 pm
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    So sorry to hear of your friend. Savor the moments…I get you on the long distance thing. These cookies certainly put a big smile on anyone’s face.

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