surprise! cookies

If you are reading this and it isn't currently Fall, ignore the pumpkin shape.  These cookies are awesome.  They can be made in any shape: pumpkin, star, Christmas tree, heart, circle, etc.  Really, when isn't it a great time to make a cookie that is essentially 2 1/2 cookies stuck together with mini m&ms in the middle?

Use your favorite sugar cookie dough.  I added orange gel color into my cookie dough to make pumpkin cookies.  Roll the dough out thick enough for the cookie to stay together, but thin enough so three cookies stacked will fit into your mouth!

Count how many cut cookies you have and use a pairing knife (or other sharp kitchen tool) to cut out the center of 1/3 of them.  Bake them according to your recipe.

I like my sugar cookies nice and soft, but I kept these in the oven some additional minutes to make sure they were firm enough.  Keep an eye on them.  You don't want them too crunchy.

Once the cookies are out and cooled use royal icing (with optional gel coloring mixed in to match the color of the cookies).  I love this royal icing recipe.  Just pipe out a thin line of icing along the middle of where the cut-out cookie will go over it.

Translation:  Don't pipe icing too close to the edge of the cookie.  When you press the cut-out cookie on top you don't want icing leaking out the sides.

Press the cut-out cookie over the icing on the bottom cookie and fill the hole with mini m&ms.  Don't fill too full though, the top cookie still has to fit on!

Pipe a second line along to top of this cookie and press the top cookie on.  Make sure you are doing this whole process fairly quickly because royal icing hardens quickly.  No worries though, as long as you set up everything you need ahead of time, this entire process should only take minutes.  Easy.

Once the cookies are complete allow them to sit out and harden for a few minutes.  Decide how or if you want to decorate them.  They don't need much because they are already 2 1/2 cookies with candy inside.

I opted for just a basic pumpkin top made with a large dot of green buttercream (I was already using it for another recipe, so it worked out great for me).  My recipe made a dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

My favorite part (or two) about these cookies?  Watching someone bite into it and get a surprise, and the fact that you can easily make them a day in advance.  That just makes parties sooo much easier.

These will last for several days in an airtight container on the counter.