Yesterday I sat at my desk in a moment of panic thinking, "ugh, I need to bake tonight, what can I make?" Wednesdays mean two hours at the gym after work and baking would require a trip to the grocery store. I knew I wouldn't make it home before 8:30 so I wanted something quick and simple. Ding Ding! In pops my daily e-mail from Martha. Stewart that is, and yes we're on a first name basis. Every day she sends me cookie recipes and I like to believe the recipes are sent to me, and me alone. Yesterday's cookie of the day was Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies...she had me at peanut butter. A relatively short list of ingredients? Sold.
With some help from my friend Missy, I decided to make the cookies into ice cream sandwiches. What would compliment peanut butter and toffee? Well, the obvious - more peanut butter or toffee, but I wanted something a little different. Butter Pecan. Perfect. Light, buttery and a slight crunch.
The cookies are a little more crisp than I prefer (I like my cookies soft and chewy). This could be because I was multitasking while baking them and may have left them in the oven a little longer than directed. But, the crispiness withstands the creaminess of the ice cream and keeps it all together.
Peanut Butter Toffee Ice Cream Sandwiches
Cookie adapted from Martha Stewart
Makes 10 sandwiches
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 chocolate-covered toffee candy bars (such as Skors or Heath) (1.4 ounces each), chopped
In a small bowl, combine baking soda, salt and flour. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter, egg and vanilla and combine until smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Stir in the toffee pieces.
Scoop the dough with a medium cookie scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown.
Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
For the sandwiches:
1 scoop of butter pecan ice cream per sandwich
3 chocolate covered toffee bars, crushed.
Scoop one scoop of ice cream onto the flat side of a cookie. Top with another cookie to form a sandwich. Roll the ice cream edge in the crushed toffee bars and serve immediately or freeze individually until ready to serve.
