Creamsicle Cookies

 

A couple years ago I received a wedding invitation in the mail from my friend Ellen, who I had met at school in London. She was getting married in Northern California; I was missing her and my other school friends, plus I had a new disposable income, so I decided "what the hell, I'll go to California."

I booked myself a room at a motel in Menlo Park, and since I wasn't set to meet up with my friends until the next day, I set out to explore. First stop, Trader Joe's, where I stocked up on fresh strawberries, peaches, and avocados to stash in my motel mini fridge. This would be 90% of my diet for the trip (can you blame me??) 

From the walkway outside my motel room. I kinda wanted to just stay there forever.

My next priority was to go to Safeway to see what kind of crazy American junk food I could get. I clearly have my priorities straight, as you can tell. It was a little eerie walking through the Menlo Park Safeway because, being a chain, it looked almost identical to the Safeway back home, except one major difference: there was more. Just more of everything. More varieties of cereal, more flavours of Clif Bars, more produce, more everything. And, most importantly, more kinds of Oreos. 

They had Oreo flavours I'd never dreamed existed (Berry Burst Ice Cream Oreos, anyone?), and the ones I got most excited about were the Creamsicle Golden Oreos. I bought a box and told myself I'd take them home to share with others. 

Ha! Silly Lindsay! As if I could have a package of Creamsicle Oreos in my motel room for 3 days without eating almost all of them. I had such high hopes for myself, but alas, I am an incorrigible cookie fiend. 

So yeah, I ate almost all of them over the course of a few days. But I still fit into the dress I brought for the wedding, so whatevs. 

Walking under an orange tree on my way to meet up with my friends.

That trip - the sunny lusciousness of California in August, the happiness of seeing my friends again, the dizzy romance of watching Ellen get married on a gorgeous summer night - it makes me sigh just thinking of it. Can you fall in love with a place, the same way you would with a person? I think I kinda did. 

Orange Creamsicle Oreos
Makes about 25 cookies

Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour

Orange Buttercream Filling
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar
Zest from 1 orange
1-2 tablespoons orange juice
A couple drops of orange food colouring (optional)

To make the cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla. On low speed, add the flour and mix just until combined. The dough will be slightly crumbly.

3. Form the dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface and gently knead a couple times to create a smooth, uniform dough. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Using a floured shot glass or a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut as many circles out of the dough as you can.

4. Transfer the dough circles to your prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden on the bottom. Allow to cool completely on a rack.

To make the filling: 

1. Beat the butter for about a minute to get it nice and creamy, and start adding the icing sugar gradually, beating until smooth.

2. Add the zest, orange juice, and food colouring and beat until smooth. If needed, add more juice or icing sugar to adjust the consistency and get a creamy, spreadable buttercream.

To assemble:

Use a spoon or piping bag to get about a tablespoon of buttercream onto the bottom of a cookie, then squish another cookie on top. Keep chilled if it's warm out; these are best enjoyed a few minutes after coming out of the fridge.

 

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I was intrigued. Then summer rolled around and Pimm's Cups started to become a "thing". I was keenly aware of all the signs at pubs and restaurants advertising pitchers of Pimm's and lemonade (i.e. 7-Up or Sprite, to us North Americans). I knew enough to piece together that Pimm's No. 1 is gin-based, and I like gin, and therefore I should probably hop on this sweet, sweet Pimm's train ASAP.

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