Mini Birthday Cookie Sandwiches, with Homemade Birthday Cake Buttercream
Sigh. Gracie did it. She went and added another finger to her age – and to make matters worse, that particular finger is on her second hand. Well, and I didn’t even mention the trifecta of heartache :: she lost her first tooth ((twice, that is a story for another day)) too! All this gibberish is code for Gracie turned 6. And with that milestone, my heart lost a little piece of itself.
There must be 2 types of moms, well maybe 3:
- The first is super excited for their little ones to reach each milestone
- The second dreads each milestone and feels a knot growing in her throat, really close to her heart as those milestones are met and passed
- The third is somewhere in between the first 2
I think I lean towards the second, as much as I wish I was a solid 3 – I am just not.
The night Kade turned 9, I cried ((hard, sobbing – pillow soaking)) myself to sleep. He didn’t see ((or hear for that matter)) me do it, but I did. Don’t even get me started on the night of his 10th birthday. And his 13th?? N.I.G.H.T.M.A.R.E.
At the sight of Gracie’s first wiggly tooth, thoughts bullied into my mind of the day she will leave me. Really. I even went so far as to blurt out: “One day you will leave me!”. With that declaration, Gracie broke into sobbing tears. Oops.
Shep’s first day of kindergarten broke my heart. That little blonde-haired sweetie played with me while Gracie slept for an entire year before we were separated by that nasty institution of education. ((I jest, somewhat.))
The day Brody learned to walk unassisted? Well, that one was pure-dee joy. He learned to crawl MAYBE nine days earlier and immediately decided walking was WAY cooler. Papa came over that day, and as Papas do, he patiently walked Brody ((9 month old Brody, that is)) around our house with a diaper cloth sling he engineered to assist Brody in his desire to walk. Then as Papas also do, he went back home – leaving me with a “determined” 9-month old walker-wannabe. Heaven help me.
So, where does this leave me today? Hard pressed between celebrating and wanting to stay in bed and pretend life is not flying by so very much faster than I could have ever imagined. But the love of a momma for her own outweighs the pain of celebrating as they grow-up.
I choose to celebrate. In other words, I have to choose joy. Broken-hearted joy. I had no idea there was even such a thing. And then I held my first baby. Life changed forever in that little blink of a moment.
Well, now that I am officially responsible for aiding and abetting mass depression, let’s talk buttercream. Because we all know, a good buttercream – I mean a REALLY good buttercream covers a multitude of woes.
I don’t know how it goes in your family – but in ours, birthdays can last a good week or even two weeks. First, there is the school treat, then there is the actual birthday – birthday celebration, then there is the cousins party ((13 total kiddos – all blood kin!)) and then there is often a party with my side of the family.
I am a homemade birthday treat kind of gal – but with 3 or 4 celebrations, I am looking for some homemade simplicity. This is the perfect simple birthday treat – perfect for the “take-to-school” treat.
Here is what you will need:
- your favorite store-bought (crispy) mini-chocolate chip cookies — Trader Joe’s makes a great mini “Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookie”
- homemade buttercream ((is there any other type??!!))
- birthday sprinkles
I love homemade buttercream – I have a nice collection of various types of buttercream throughout the blog but they all come down to the same basic structure:
- a good amount of powdered sugar
- some cream or milk
- a pinch of salt
- butter
- flavoring, usually a little vanilla & a little almond extract
- one secret ingredient ((a tablespoon of granulated cane sugar))
The key for this particular buttercream is to start off by adding ¼ c of heavy whipping cream while whipping the butter & powdered sugar and then slowly add about a ¼ c of 2% milk until you reach the desired consistency.
Speaking of consistency, this one needs to be a little stiffer than other buttercream you may make for topping cakes, cookies and brownies, because you don’t want the filling to ooze out of the cookie sandwiches.
About one teaspoon is all of the filling each sandwich will need – because these are minis; one bite wonders. Perfect for a kindergarten birthday treat.
Don’t delay in rolling the cookie sandwiches in birthday sprinkles. The edges of the buttercream will dry out and the sprinkles won’t stick. *Now if you find yourself distracted and the buttercream dries out, just moisten your fingertip with a little cream & run it around the edges. Then roll as usual.
Aren’t they cute? They make the most festive and simple school birthday treat ever!
Trust me, however cute they are – they are exponentially even more yummy. If only it didn’t mean someone is a year older…
- 1 - 2 lb bag of powdered sugar
- 1 stick room temperature salted butter
- ¼ c heavy whipping cream
- ¼ c 2% milk
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 t vanilla
- 2 t almond extract
- 1 t granulated cane sugar
- sprinkles, about 1 c
- On two parchment lined baking sheets, arrange 100 mini cookies into rows, bottom side facing up. Place sprinkles in a small shallow dish.
- Make buttercream by placing all of the ingredients EXCEPT the 2% milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix to combine, increasing speed from low to high once the ingredients are incorporated, as to prevent powdered sugar from flying everywhere. Slowly add milk until desired stiff but spreadable consistency is reached.
- Scoop 1 teaspoon of buttercream onto half of the cookies. Top the buttercream with another cookie, forming a sandwich. After making 10 sandwiches, roll the exposed buttercream sides in sprinkles and place on a serving platter*. Repeat until all sandwiches are assembled. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve. Can sit out, covered overnight if necessary.
- Extra buttercream can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Serves 25
- *If you find yourself distracted and the buttercream dries out, just moisten your fingertip with a little cream & run it around the edges. Then roll as usual.
