Leaf Lard Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies w/ Salted Honey Buttercream

Note to self:

If you put buttercream between two warm chocolate chips cookies, it will probably melt. (pictured below)

Additional note to self:

This is ok because you can just lick the buttercream off the paper.  (not pictured below)

Growing up my grandmother had this “thing” about that pre-made packaged cookie dough.

It was the same “thing” she had about the chicken at Kentucky Fried and how in no way did Jesus ever intend for chicken wings to be that big..

“Where they gettin them chickens from? I'm telling you that ain't real chicken”

We didn’t eat there.

We didn’t eat the pre-made cookie dough either..  My guess is Jesus didn’t intend for dough to be wrapped in plastic although I’m still a little unsure of the logic behind the Tollhouse aversion.

I remember feeling left out. Everyone was eating those cookies in that yellow packaging but me.

It wasn’t until my time with Ms.Mattie that I learned the process of making them from scratch. By then as an adult, I was fully versed on the art of tollhouse slice and bake.  

Then I became fully versed in the art of lard and corn syrup, which were to two main ingredients in Ms. Mattie’s chocolate chip cookies. 

Sweet would not be an accurate description for these cookies. If you can imagine the combination of  corn syrup and the pure cane sugar that was used for these cookies you’d have an idea.

Nevertheless, they are still the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had..

There are 6,4543,35436 chocolate chip cookie recipes on the internet. I don’t see a lot using lard or shortening or even the greatness of corn syrup.

Is that a southern thing? The corn syrup and the lard part?.. I’m gonna go with yes..

But I’m still curious..

Ms. Matties recipe is a good one.. but sweet really very sweet.

So I found another one in a cookbook that I received recently by a wonderful chef here in Atlanta.

Anne Quatrano’s Summerland.

About a few pages in there is a recipe for Leaf Lard (Lardo) Chocolate Chip Cookies.. Clearly this was a sign.. a sign to make y’all some cookies.. with Lard..

Cause I was feelin fancy, I decided to make a little salted honey buttercream to consciously couple two cookies to make them complete. Yes, I went there...

This resulted in a heavenly sandwich cookie with buttercream that will melt when spread on a hot cookie.  So don’t be impatient like me and let them cool first. Or be prepared to lick buttercream off of parchment paper when no one's looking.
Waste not want not…

Leaf Lard Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies W/ Salted Honey Buttercream

Prep Time- 45 mins (1 to 24 hours of inactive time) Cook Time- 7-10 mins Yields- 24 sandwich cookies

Adapted from Anne Quatrano’s Summerland 

*side note- Leaf lard is the highest grade of lard and has no pork flavor when added to baked goods.

It can be somewhat tricky to track down. Check with your local butcher (mine calls it “White Gold”) or you can easily render your own.  Try this step by step from the Kitchn.*

Ingredients:

For the Cookies

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

2 ¼ cups granulated sugar

1 ¼ sticks butter, unsalted at room temperature

1 cup leaf lard, at room temperature

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon fleur de sel  (if you don’t have this, Maldon or any other good quality flaky sea salt will do)

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

4 ½ cups all purpose flour

3 cups chocolate, coarsely chopped

For the Buttercream:

1 cup of butter, unsalted

3 tablespoons honey

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 ½ teaspoons fleur de sel or any other good quality sea salt

1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Directions:

For the cookies: In a stand mixer (paddle attachment), cream together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, lard ,baking soda and half of the fleur de sel. Once the mixture is incorporated add the eggs one at a time, making sure ingredients are well mixed after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and vinegar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Reduce the mixer speed to low; then add in flour slowly until just combined. Add in chocolate mixing just briefly to incorporate. . Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate  for at least an hour but up to 24 hours. ( I let mine sit and chill overnight, that gave me better results than the 2^nd batch I made that just chilled for about 2 hours)

To make the buttercream:  Whip together the butter and honey using a stand mixer until light and fluffy.  (I used the whisk attachment) Add in powdered sugar, salt and cream mixing until all ingredients are whipped and well incorporated.   I placed the prepared buttercream in the refrigerator until I was ready to use it for my cookies.  Be sure to allow the buttercream to come to room temp before using. And giving it a little re-whip if needed.

When ready to bake the cookies, Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. ( I needed 2 baking sheets). Scoop about a tablespoon of dough for each cookie sprinkle with remaining fleur de sel and place them about 1 inch and a half apart on the baking sheet allowing the cookies room to spread while baking. Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheet halfway through  baking. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes (at  the most) The edges will be slightly browned and the center of the cookies will look slightly undercooked. (This is ok)

Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

To assemble cookies: Spread about a tablespoon of buttercream on the bottom of one cookie, then place the second cookie on top,  bottom side down to make sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies. This made 24 cookies for me the first 2 times I made them... The 3rd time I got only got about 16 cookies because I ate a few and I might of made them a little larger than I should have..