Grown Up Baileys Creme Brownie Oreos

Here it is-my first official 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies post!

(Such great camera skills-too much bottom, not enough top...)
Like I mentioned in my last post, I've never been much of a cookie baker. That probably stem froms the fact that chocolate chip cookies totally intimidate me. Everyone likes their chocolate chip cookies slightly differently and I just don't know what to do since I have no opinion on them.

So, in order to expand my horizons, I decided to join 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies, and at least try 12 new recipes!

So my own personal prerequisite is that I can't use a recipe I've tried in that past. That's right, even my absolute favorite Christmas cookies won't make the cut (although, naturally, they'll make it on the blog some other way!).

Also, because of the way my hours were going at Safeway the last couple weeks, funds were...nearly nonexsistent. So the biggest challenge for me was figuring out what ingredients I had on hand, and using only those. Thus, the only things I had to buy was sugar, flour, and shortening. Not too bad. (Don't you just hate running out of kitchen staples like that all at once?!)

So, this weeks ingredients were espresso and Baileys! I decided to use a brownie roll out cookie recipe I've been hoarding for a while, and wanted to fill them with something, and finally settled on an oreo cookie filling.

I had a very small cookie cutter (well actually I left all my cookie cutters in Phoenix, and had to use the large end of a frosting tip to cut my cookies), and I ended up with 163 cookies. I was able to make 81 cookies with this recipe. And you'll probably curse me after you mix your filling thinking, "Megan, there's no way I can fill all my cookies. Now I have to mix more!" But fear not, you'll be amazed at how far the filling goes. I even had a tablespoon left over at the end.
Now, enough talking, finally on to the recipe!

Brownie Roll Out Cookies
Adapted from Technicolor Kitchen

3 cups flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp espresso powder
2/3 cup cocoa powder (*note-the original recipe calls for unsweetened, I used dark cocoa powder cause 1. I had it on hand, 2. I liked the dark cocoa with espresso/Baileys combo better, anyways.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside. In a large bowl, mix together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla, espresso powder, and cocoa powder. Slowly add in flour mixture. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4" thick, and cut as you wish! Bake for 11 minutes, or until set. After they've cooled, you can fill them with the oreo filling!

See, you may want to create bigger cookies...or else you get to fill all 81 sandwiches!

Baileys Oreo Creme Filling
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 stick butter, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (ie. Crisco)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp Baileys Irish Cream

Place the butter and shortening in a large bowl. Slowly add in sugar and Baileys. Mix on high for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

This feeling holds endless flavor possibilities, and can easily be made kid friendly by replacing the Baileys with vanilla. Ooo like peppermint oreos at Christmas time! The cookies are fudgey and so delicious. I brought them into work and overheard a coworker tell someone else she'd eaten 8 of them! They're that good.

Now, what to make next week...?