When people talk about “lifelong friends” they rarely mean it in the literal sense. You might meet a lifelong friend in grade school, or even college. But we call them “lifelong friends” as a way to describe the bond we have with them. Because no matter what phase you meet them in life, you know that they will always be a part of you. I feel very lucky to say that I have quite a few of these lifelong friends. But only one is my lifelong friend in both the figurative and literal sense. Because I have known my dear Annie since, well, before we were even born. Our moms met while they were only a few months pregnant with us so I literally do not remember my life without her. We were born a mere 10 days apart and there are few of my childhood memories that Annie is not a part of. In many ways we appeared to be very opposite. She is tall with the curly hair I so wished I had when I was little. While I’m quite petite and don’t even have a wave in my pin straight locks. Annie is outgoing and charismatic, while I was always a bit more shy. But we’ve always just fit together. Annie always pulled me out of my shell, and I always got her bad grades in conduct. Through the amazingly fun family vacations we shared to the not so fun year that we both got dumped within a few months of each other, Annie and I have been through it all. And I am excited for all the new memories we’ll continue to share. In just a few months she will stand by my side as I marry my other best friend, and maybe someday we’ll have little ones of our own that will of course be lifelong friends like us.
Some of my quintessential “Annie” memories are the countless summer nights that we spent floating in her Grandpa’s swimming pool eating cookies that we lovingly dubbed “Heaven Cookies.” I’m pretty sure her mom bought them on a whim at Kroger, but they were considered our favorite food group for years. They consisted of lemon buttercream and sugary licorice sandwiched between two buttery sugar cookies. So for Annie’s 25th birthday (and our 25th Anniversary of friendship) I thought I would recreate our favorite cookie. And the red licorice makes these Heaven Cookies perfect Christmas cookies as well. Enjoy! (and Happy Birthday Anne!)
Ingredients: Makes 2 dozen sandwich cookies
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Frosting:
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation:
- In a medium bowl, mix flour and baking powder and set aside
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
- Beat in egg and almond extract
- Slowly add dry ingredients to butter mixture, beating well after each addition
- Once dough has come together, wrap in tin foil and chill for 2-3 hours
- After dough has chilled, roll out with a rolling pin until dough is approximately 1/2 inch thick.
- Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut 24 cookies
- Use the same cookie cutter to cut 24 additional cookies, but use a melon baller to cut out a small hole in the center of each cookie
- Place all cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes
- Let cookies cool completely
- To make frosting, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, slowly beat in lemon juice
- Spread the “non-holey” cookies with the lemon butter cream and place a small piece of licorice in the center
- Top cookie with a “holey” cookie.
- Repeat with remaining cookies for a total of 24 sandwich cookies
