if you feed them, they will come

{photo credit: weheartit.com}

baking is fun. when i bake, i get to use my favorite ingredients-white sugar, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar. when i bake, i don't have to ask if i can lick the spoon. i just do it.

the problem is that when i bake a batch of 24 cookies, unless i have somewhere to donate them, i end up eating them. every.last.one. sometimes, my darling roommate, amy, comes to my aide and eats one or two, but her eating two cookies still leaves me with 22.

fortunately, i have an excuse to bake for other people at least once a week. i recently started leading my small group which means that every wednesday evening, our apartment is filled with 10-15 giggling, chatting, cookie devouring girls. these girls love jesus and they looove baked goods.

during this past holiday season, a magazine in the checkout line caught my eye. 100 best cookies-love on a sheetpan. love? on a sheetpan? tell me more. the magazine is awesome, and i've been (slowly) working my way through it. my goal is to try each recipe, and, so far, i've tried seven. se-ven. only 93 to go.

the reason i'm moving so slowly through the magazine, is because there are three recipes that i keep going back to again and again and again. they are so easy and so, so yummy. i'll share one of them with you today. my sweet friend kelly and i made these cookies for my small group this past wednesday.

{photo credit: me}

snickerdoodle sandwiches

ingredients

3  tablespoons granulated sugar

1-1/2  teaspoons ground cinnamon

1  16-1/2-ounce package refrigerated sugar cookie dough

(any recipe that calls for pre-made dough is always a good sign.)

1  8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

3  tablespoons honey

3  tablespoons snipped golden raisins or raisins (optional)

directions

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees. in a small bowl, combine sugar and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. shape cookie dough into 3/4 to 1 inch balls. roll balls in cinnamon sugar to coat. place balls 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. 

2. bake for 7 to 9 minutes or just until edges are firm. transfer cookies to a wire rack. let cool.

3. meanwhile, for filling: in a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, honey, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. beat with a wire whisk until smooth. if desired, stir in raisins. (desire it. it's better.)

4. spread filling generously on the bottoms of half of the cookies. top with remaining cookies, flat sides down, pressing lightly together. makes about 24 sandwich cookies.

ohmyGOSH. you have to try this recipe. make them for your husband/wife or your boyfriend/girlfriend. if you don't have either, make them for someone you're crushing on because, no doubt, you will be dating them before they finish their first bite. 

has that worked for me personally? that's not important. moving on. 

baking goodies for other people is one of my favorite ways to show someone i love them and care about them. first of all, it's just plain fun to be in the kitchen banging pots and pans around, rummaging through drawers, measuring sugar (or was that salt?) then, once my masterpiece is finished, i get to deliver the goods. who can actually resist a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies or brownies? no one. their eyes just light up. plus, if my baked goods are actually yummy, i get compliments. double win. 


so, because i just told you that i love to give baked goods away to my friends and loved ones, i've come up with a giveaway. i'm throwing it out there that whoever responds with a comment to this post that i deem worthy because it's funny, sweet, witty, honest, thought provoking, longer than two words, i will bake you your own batch of snickerdoodle sandwiches*. no joke. it may be a small batch because i'm unemployed and do not have an endless supply of cash to buy sugar, but you'll get enough to share (if you choose to do so.) how's that for some friday love? you have until midnight tonight to post a comment, so make sure you get them up!
*disclaimer: i will not be held responsible if you get sick/have some sort of crazy allergic reaction to these cookies. not that i'm anticipating that, but i just wanted to cover my legal bases. ok, that's done.