Yo-Yos

Finals are driving me insane! Every day brings a new thing for me to worry about, think about, stress about, plan about, etc. Life's been hectic recently, and honestly, I can't wait 'til life after December 16th. School will be over, and my life would be 15-hour work weeks mixed in with baking and relaxing with all my friends and my parents. That sounds like an amazing month before Spring semester starts again. What about you guys? What are you going to do for the holidays? Are you going to bake anything from The Ultimate Cookie Book? One thing you could do is make from it is "these festive cookie sandwiches [that] hail from New Zealand. Candied cherries in the dough and in the frosting make them fruity and sweet."

Yo-Yos
*makes 24 sandwich cookies*

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped red and/or green candied cherries
1 recipe Cherry Frosting

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 cup sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour and the candied cherries.
2) Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the tines of a fork, flatten balls slightly in a crisscross pattern. Bake about 8 minutes or until edges are golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
3) Spread Cherry Frosting on flat sides of half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, flat sides down.

Cherry Frosting

In a medium mixing bowl beat a 3-ounce package of softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. Beat in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1 cup additional powdered sugar to make a frosting of spreading consistency. Stir in 1/4 cup finely chopped red or green candied cherries.

If you want to print this recipe out, go here to its link on the Better Homes & Gardens site.