Root Beer Float Sandwich Cookies

I was curious what to make with the root beer extract I bought from Gourmet Warehouse a while back. After making coke floats this week, I was inspired to make root beer float sandwich cookies. The filling in the middle is a vanilla bean frosting. I'll have to admit to cookies are good but unusual. If you don't know they are root beer, you may be puzzled as to what kind of cookies they are.

Root Beer Float Cookies

Made 18 sandwich cookies

Inspired by Chocolate Moosey

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. root beer extract

Vanilla Bean Frosting:

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream

1 vanilla bean


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg and root beer extract.

3. In  separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda. Add to butter mixture and stir until blended.

4. Roll 1 1/2 inch balls of cookie dough and place on baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes until set. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

5. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter, powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream. Cut open vanilla bean pod and scrape out the seeds. Add them to the frosting. Cream until frosting consistency is reached. If it is too thick, add a little more heavy cream or water.

6. Match up cookie tops and bottoms. Pipe or spread vanilla bean frosting onto one flat half of the cookie and then form a sandwich with the other half. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to three days. The root beer flavor will intensify if eaten the following day.