They’re finally here! I’ve had this idea in my head for quite some time but because I love Harry Potter so much, I always feel a little, tiny bit of trepidation when it comes to stepping back into that world for fear of failure. Butterbeer is available for real now, but I still love the idea of playing with its vaguely mysterious but utterly delicious sounding flavours. Rowling said it was a slightly less sickly butterscotch, Hermione asked for some ginger in her’s in one of the movies and Winky the house-elf got drunk off of it. To me this indicates a few things: sparing use of butterscotch, warm, sweet spices and little bit of rum flavour. I’ve used a little pumpkin in the cookie dough to impart a nice colour and because I imagine pumpkin being a commonly used ingredient in the Wizarding World.
If you’re not so into Harry Potter, you’ll still love these cookies. They are delightful sandwich cookies – sweet, buttery, warmly spiced and topped with decadent, simple, homemade butterscotch.
Butterbeer Cookies
Makes 30 cookies
1 cup non-dairy stick margarine
1/2 cup custard powder (substitute 1/2 cup more powdered sugar + 1 tablespoon corn starch with less buttery results)
1 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (Gluten-Free one here; use brown rice flour for the rice portion)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
1/2 cup mashed pumpkin (or butternut squash)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Cream together the non-dairy stick margarine, custard powder and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour, salt, baking powder and spices and beat to combine. In a blender, or using a whisk and some muscle, mix together the pumpkin, non-dairy milk and extracts. Add to the dough and beat until well combined. This cookie dough is a little wet, but should come together into a disc shape fairly easily. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.
After chilling, preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Generously dust a flat surface with powdered sugar. Unwrap the cookie dough and lay out onto powdered sugar. Roll out, being careful not to let it stick, to about a 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters of your choice, cutting a smaller hole out of the middle of half of the cookies. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies have just started to brown on the bottom. Allow to cool on racks while you prepare the filling and butterscotch.
Butterbeer Cookie Filling
1/4 cup non-dairy stick margarine, softened
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 drops concentrated butterscotch flavouring (used in candy-making)
1/4 teaspoon rum extract
1 teaspoon unsweetened non-dairy milk
Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the margarine until lighter in colour. Slowly add the powdered sugar along with the butterscotch flavour, rum extract and non-dairy milk, increasing the speed to high once most of the sugar has been incorporated. Beat on high until soft, light and fluffy.
Butterscotch Sauce
Adapted from here
Follow the instructions at the link given, substituting non-dairy stick margarine for butter and a creamy non-dairy milk such as soy for the cream. Almond or rice milk are not recommended for butterscotch making, as they are too watery. Allow the butterscotch sauce to cool completely before using in the cookies.
Butterbeer Cookie Assembly
Pipe the butterscotch filling in a circle around the outside of the bottom layer of the cookie. Place the top on. Pipe enough butterscotch sauce to fill the hole. Allow to set for a few minutes and serve.