Andes Mint Pillow Cookies

You know those recipes we all see on Pinterest that everyone tags within a week of each other? Well I decided to try this weeks, which was Andes Mint Pillow Cookies. While they turned out tasting okay (they actually kind of taste like Milano's), let's just say I didn't quite get the correct visual appeal. I tried halving the recipe, which I think was the first step in the wrong direction. Then, I don't have perfect rolling technique, so instead of making a rectangle dough, I instead got a blob shape. But I managed to get my blob shapes similar enough to at least layer the dough...correctly enough. Anyways, I didn't quite get the cute Pinterest picture and I'm not sure these cookies are worth the hassle again, but I would love to know if anyone else made them and had any better success!

I had a major "LOL" moment with these after checking them the first time after 10 minutes of baking. They got HUGE. Totally unexpected. I learned my lesson that each cookie did not need as much dough as I thought it did. Whoops!

Baking Notes: Even though I halved the recipe (full recipe is included below), I still used 1 egg and also added 2 tbsp extra butter because the dough was having a hard time congealing to actually form a dough shape after beating it some. I also ended up with 16 pillows instead of the 24 I should have. But I definitely used too much dough per Andes mint, and could have probably gotten at least 20. Mine took at least 12 minutes to bake and practically tripled in size (especially on the ones where I had too much dough). Will also had the genius idea that next time, I should cut the dough into strips after rolling the first half, to make it easier to find where the mints are after layering the second half of dough on top.

Andes Mint Pillow Cookies (adapted from Tootsie; yields 2 1/2 dozen)
1 cup unsalted butter-softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
48 Andes Mints

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat at a low speed until soft dough forms.

Divide dough in half. On a well-floured surface, roll half of the dough into a 14 x 9-inch rectangle. Arrange mints evenly on dough, forming 7 rows of 7. Between 2 sheets of wax paper, roll remaining dough into a second 14 x 9-inch rectangle. Remove top sheet of wax paper and discard. Carefully turn second rectangle over mint-topped dough, matching edges. Remove remaining wax paper. Using a pizza cutter or scalloped-edge pastry wheel (or non-stick brownie knife, which is all I've got), cut dough evenly between mints. Gently press edges of pillows to seal (or shape however necessary to resemble some sort of pillow shape).

Place pillows 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes, or until edges are light brown. Cool completely before storing or serving.

Recipe: Tootsie: Andes Mint Pillow Cookies

The picture from the Tootsie Roll website

of what my cookies should have looked like