Hi.
I’ve noticed you around these parts a lot. I made you some cookies. I’m glad you’re here.
Maybe we could sit down and you could shell out some advice. I just have one question. Gimme your gut. What’s it thinkin’? This might seem silly, but what else is new? I really need your help with this.
Couch. Should I buy a couch?
Just the thought of a real life couch in my little apartment gives me all sorts of unreasonable anxiety. Yeesh. I thought I would only buy a couch… a big fluffy couch… when I was an adult and I had my life aaaaaaaallllllll figured out. Well… I’m pretty darn sure I’m an adult, and I’m pretty darn sure I’ll never actually have it all figured out…. so I might just need to buck up and buy the darn couch, right?
Couch. It’s just a couch. Somehow… it seems like so much more. What do you think?
I’ll trade you your thoughts for these ridiculously good cookies. Deal? Deal.
There are a few things you should know about these cookies…. wait! Do you know what dulce de leche is? Dulce de leche is like a thick, milky, caramel sauce. It’s made when sweetened milk is slowly cooked and boiled down to deliciousness. I buy the jarred stuff because it makes my life easier.
This recipe from Dorie Greenspan makes one whole heck of a lot of cookie dough. Phew! This recipe makes about 30 sandwich cookies. That’s a lot.
Even with the dulce de leche, brown sugar and granulated sugar, these cookies aren’t as sweet as you might think. Surprising… I know. I added a bit of sea salt on top of the dulce de leche I spread into the sandwich cookies. Amazing!
The one small downside to these cookies? They sure aren’t as pretty as I wanted them to be…. but oooh so delicious.
Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies
recipe from Baking: from my home to yours
makes 30 sandwich cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup store-bought dulce de leche, plus more for filling
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until just softened and broken up a bit. Add the 3/4 cup dulce de leche, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients all at once. Mix only until the flour is just incorporated. You may need to finish off the mixing with a big spatula.
Spoon the dough onto the lined baking sheets using a heaping teaspoon of dough for each cookie. The dough will be soft and this might be a bit messy. Leave 2 inches of space between each cookie for the baking spread.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies will be honey brown with a light crust, but still very soft when they come out of the oven. Let them rest on the cookie sheet for a minute or two before removing to cool.
Once the cookies are cooled completely, spread them with dulce de leche and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt if you like. Keep well wrapped for up to four days.
the domestic mama
hmmm….get the couch, and eat a cookie with a spot of tea on it. Then, get a dog…(a pound mutt about to be put down, preferably) and let him/her sleep on it. And share the cookies. That’s how ya start the new year with a new couch. Gotta break it in, ya know! :)
Akinaj
Go for the couch, Joy! A couch rocks. Best place to lose yourself in cookery books or watch DVDs…
And if it doubles as a bed for guests even better, then you can share all your cooking without having to worry about people having to drive home afterwards. ;-)
Now, buying a proper, leather comfy chair, that’s a whole different level of scariness! ;-)
Ria
OMG!I am so tempted to try these!Will make a batch asap! :) The cookies look too yummmm!
Lisa P
Joy. I say go for it- buy that couch! We were antiquing the other day and found an awesome piece of history called a Mimeoscope. Basically, it’s a glorified lighted table. But, it was made in 1916 and was part of the printing press that was used before photocopying in the 1960’s. That’s one reason why I love antiques- so much history. Long story short- get the couch! And what’s even more fun is you can try to find an antique couch, for the story, and you can get it refinished and stuffed full of cushiony goodness so it’s comfy. What can be better?
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
Ohmigosh those open mouth cookies without the tops on yet look AMAZING. I can just taste that caramel-y goodness.
Ginny
As always, amazing cookies. And photography :)
When my husband and I first got married and bought our house, we got a couch from Ikea. It served its purpose, but our little home didn’t look like a home – it looked like a dorm room. After Thanksgiving, my mom convinced me to go furniture shopping with her. It was a good decision – I ended up buying a new couch and a loveseat (!) to make what my mother calls a “conversational grouping”. My little house looks like a house now.
Yes it was expensive, but these pieces will last a lot longer than that old blue thing from Ikea. Get something that is moderately priced, classic and well made and you can take it with you wherever you go, even when you’re wrestling toddlers into carseats :)
Anna
A couch… Find a couch you can snuggle into a corner, tuck your feet underneath, and read a good book, dream of future recipes, and enjoy a delicious treat.
You can always try craigslist (only looking for postings with pics and selecting ones in good condition) and that can make this cozy couch seem more obtainable.
Jeanie
Joy, I am ready to try thses cookies. You need a soft, sink into type couch. Don’t get a firm sit up on top of sofa. Thanks for your wonderful recipes.
Vicki Schmidt
Hey Joy
First of all: Thank you for this blog. I am on the venture of becoming a baker of goodies at home, and your delicious recipes and pictures are just the thing to inspire me. For those I can even forgive you for measuring in cups! *smile*
Second: Buy the couch. Now. Like right now! A couch is a safe haven almost as good as your bed. It’s the perfect place for a good cup of tea or a cocktail, while putting your feet up. For reading a book or magazine, or snuggling up to the hubby/boyfriend while watching a movie.
I love my couch. It’s second hand, and in burgundy velvet. It gives my living room a burlesque touch, and my behind a nice spot to rest.
Join us coychowners Joy. You will not regret it.
Third: These cookies look delicious! Why oh why is Dulche Leche so hard to come by here!? *sigh* Oh well. Keep on rocking the kitchen and this blog!
Vicki Schmidt
First of all: Thank you for this blog. I am in the venture of becoming a baker of all sorts of goods at home, and your delicious recipes and pictures, are just the thing to inspire me. For those I can even forgive you for measuring in cups! *smile*
Second: Buy the couch. Now. Like right now! A couch is a safe haven almost as much as a bed. It’s the perfect place for a good cup of tea, or a refreshing drink. It’s nice to sit there and read or snuggle with the hubby while watching a movie.
A couch is a pleasant and homey thing to have. I love my secondhand one. It’s in burgundy velvet. It gives my living room a burlesque touch. It says something about me, and gives my behind a nice spot to rest. It’s fab.
Join us Joy. Be a couch owner!
Third: Keep on rocking this blog!
Vicki
Sharon Summers
Joy … buy the couch. A couch is a raft on which you can float all your dreams. But it’s a really pretty raft and an amazingly luxurious one and you need to be able to sink into the plush fabric that your raft provides so that you continue to magic up all the thoughts and words you do – to make the deliriously good food you do. So which fabric will it be and what colour are you leaning towards at the moment ;)
JamTown
well said Sharon.
Shauna
I completely agree with everything Sharon said (mostly because she said it far better than I ever could!). Just get the couch – and then post pictures! :)
tara zeitoun
those look soooo delic! i must try them very very soon! i’m making one of the cupcake recipes this week yay! keep us updated joy!
Joanna
Hi Joy!
I love love love you!!! I love your blog I love your humor and I love your baked goodies.
Thank you for being wonderful inspiration and bringing smiles to everybody that reads your blog!!! Reading your blog is actually one of the highlight of my day! How lucky your future husband and children will be and im sure you will have a lovely mothers hand in the future!!! Lots of love from the Philippines!!! ;)
Carmen Henesy
I could just sit and eat dulce de leche – or plain sweetened condensed milk!!! I MUST try these cookies!