Oatmeal Cranberry Sandwich Cookies with White Chocolate Creme Filling

I am a sucker for sandwich cookies. They are just so cute. So the kids and I made these Oatmeal Cranberry Sandwich Cookies with White Chocolate Creme Filling from Two Peas & Their Pod. They are soft and the filling stiffens enough after sitting for a bit that the sandwich layers don't move around. This is the kind of recipe where you can throw all your favorite goodies into the cookies-- nuts, toffee pieces, cinnamon chips... But they are great as is! I will, though, half the recipe for the filling because we had a lot leftover.

Oatmeal Cranberry Sandwich Cookies with White Chocolate Creme Filling
1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. old fashioned oats
1 c. dried cranberries

White Chocolate Buttercream:
2 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 T. milk, or as needed

To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 375°. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until smooth and creamy. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Stir in the oats and dried cranberries.

Roll cookie dough into tablespoon size balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for two minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the white chocolate buttercream. Place white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals until chips begin to melt, about 1 minute. Stir and repeat, heating chips about 10 seconds at a time, until thoroughly melted. Stir until chocolate is smooth and no more lumps remain. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Beat in half of the powdered sugar, melted white chocolate, vanilla and milk until mixture is smooth and creamy.Slowly beat in remaining powdered sugar until smooth; if frosting is too stiff, add in a little more milk.

To make the sandwich cookies, spread or pipe white chocolate buttercream on the inside of one cookie. Top with another cookie. Continue making sandwich cookies. Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Where I Am Supposed to Be

When I was thinking today about the different experiences that I have had when I have felt my Heavenly Father’s love and presence the most, I realized something very basic and predictable. I had those experiences when I was where I was supposed to be at that time, doing what I was supposed to be doing. I looked and looked for a quote about that in my notebook, but couldn’t find it. The quote talked about how our Father wants to bless us, but in order to receive those blessings we must be where are supposed to be, doing what we are supposed to be doing.

Think about the times you personally have felt His love and those experiences where you have felt close to the Lord. Where were you and what were you doing?

I am sure that there are times when Heavenly Father has a message for us that He might deliver wherever we are, but usually we need to be trying to be close to Him. When I think of my experiences, one of them is when fasting and sitting in sacrament meeting, another while I was praying by my bed, and a few of them in the temple. None of them are visions or voices speaking to me. But they were strong and real and remain with me still.

To share one of those experiences, a few years ago, I went through a heavy trial that just about traumatized me. I was sleepless for going on 3 nights. I was lying in bed, wishing to sleep, but thoughts just kept going through my head. I decided that even though I had already said my prayer before going to bed and several prayers throughout the day, I would kneel again there at 3:00 am and pray for strength and sleep. For those 3 days, my body had been shaking non-stop and I could not make it stop. As I knelt there, pouring my heart out again to my Father, I suddenly felt as if a hand were on my back and immediately the shaking stopped. I felt that despite this trial, things would be okay. I would be okay.

I’m so grateful for those times that Heavenly Father has blessed me with peace and with the knowledge that He loves me.