I especially find this time of year challenging with my kids lunch boxes. Lunchtime at home is a daily negotiating tactic at best, so you can only imagine what it's like planning meals several days in advance. Times two. It's frustrating when I see other Mothers posting gorgeous shots of their babes bento boxes with all sorts of incredibly healthy nibbles, meanwhile mediocre Mom (that's me) is debating whether to put a chocolate or vanilla pudding pack in their lunch. Seriously, how in the world do these parents get their kids to eat couscous salad or even crudités with chick peas and edamame without out being there to supervise with a small chocolate bribe? Despite the fact I have done - and still continue to do everything I was/am supposed to food related since they were teething, you would not get my kids to eat that at school for all the ice cream in the world - even under my watchful eye.

In saying all of this, my kids are interesting eaters. They love all the staple eats most kids love; pizza, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chicken tenders, but they also have a palate that goes outside the proverbial spectrum. My daughter loves green vegetables, especially with grilled barbecue chicken. Brussels sprouts, asparagus, zucchini, artichokes, broccoli (her favourite), but put corn or carrots in front of her and you can almost see the vein in her little forehead bulge out and throb. She's also very picky and particular with fruit. She loves cantaloupe, watermelon, apples; the more mellow fruits, but not honeydew. Good lord, not that. My wee man is the opposite. He loves spicy foods - like Indian and Thai, loves carrots and corn, most fruit, and all carbs. And both have a very sweet tooth. Surprise, surprise.

Hence why packing lunches can be quite the feat.


Cookie:

2 cups all purpose flour
¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup Stirling Creamery Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Filling:

1 cup WowButter
2 cups powdered sugar
6-8 tablespoons, heavy cream, for creaminess*

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter for two minutes. Add in sugars and cream for another two minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined. Add in vanilla. Mix.

Slowly add in dry ingredients, mixing only until incorporated. Wrap cookie dough in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to bake.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Using an ice cream scoop with a retractable mechanism, scoop dough into balls and place on prepared cookie sheet two inches apart. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until slightly firm to the touch. Once sheets are removed from the oven, gently tap the tops of the cookies with the back of a spatula to flatten slightly. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for a minute or so before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cookies are completely cooled, spread WowButter mixture on the underside of one cookie and top with the underside of another to form a sandwich cookie.

To make filling:

In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, blend together Wowbutter and powdered sugar. Add in heavy cream as needed to make smooth and achieve desired consistency.

*You can certainly add more heavy cream than I have suggested, but just be aware that the creamier it becomes, the messier the sandwich cookie will be. This consistency is thick enough to bite into the cookie without too much filling oozing out.

You can also pipe mixture onto cookies for a pretty effect or just use the blade side of a butterknife and make indentations as I have.

Cookies will keep for three days in an airtight container.

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