Oatmeal Raisin Sandwich Cookies

This oatmeal raisin cookie recipe is, by far, the best I have tried!  These cookies have amazing flavor and are so soft and chewy.  I even convinced a couple of people who "don't like oatmeal raisin cookies" to try them, and once they did they loved them!  The filling in these cookies is just sweet enough...and who doesn't love honey?!  My taste testers got to try both these and the peanut butter oatmeal cookie sandwiches I posted last week and the majority of them voted on these oatmeal raisin cookies (although the peanut butter cookies were still great!).  And me, being the peanut butter lover that I am, think that says a lot about how yummy these are.  Try out both of the recipes and be the judge for yourself!

**note: these are best the day after making them.

Oatmeal Cookie Sandwich Cookies

Source: Annie's Eats

Yields about 30 cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

Cookies:

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup raisins

Filling:

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla with a hand held mixer until well blended.  In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, stirring until just combined.

Fold in rolled oats and raisins.  Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool 2 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool completely. 

To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, honey and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.  Mix on medium-high speed until completely smooth.

Once cookies are completely cooled, match them in pairs according to size.  Lay one cookie of each pair face down, so that the flat side is up.  Using a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe a swirl of cream cheese filling onto the flat side of each cookie.  Top with the other cookie from each pair so that the flat side is on the filling and press down slightly so that the filling is pushed to the edges.  Chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.