Hamburger Cookies Recipe

Directions:

1. FROSTING: Combine butter, vanilla, sugar, salt, and half-and-half in an electric mixer.
2. Add enough milk to get to a fairly thin consistency for frosting.
3. Divide into 3 separate bowls; one holding 1/2 of the frosting, the other two containing ~1/4 each.
4. Color 1/2 of the frosting orange to simulate cheese, using red and yellow food coloring. (Use real items to match colors).
5. Color 1/4 of the frosting bright yellow to simulate mustard, and the last, red, to simulate ketchup. (Red will take a LOT of liquid food coloring to get past “pink.” You can buy gel-based “super red”at any cake decorating supply store).
6. Place each batch of frosting into a plastic baggie.
7. Remove air, close, and snip a tiny bit off of one of the bottom corners.
8. COOKIES: Preheat oven to 325º. Toast sesame seeds lightly in a small sauté pan. Cool.
9. Brush 1/2 of the Nilla wafers tops with egg wash.
10. Place on baking sheet.
11. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.
12. Pop into the oven for ~5 minutes to gently cook the egg white, so that the cookies don’t need to be refrigerated.
13. While these are cooking, with a rasp, lightly shave the curved tops of the remaining Nilla wafers, so that they can sit flat on a plate (optional, but makes life easier later).
14. Place 1/2 of the coconut into a plastic zip-lock bag.
15. Add several drops of green food coloring and squish the bag around until the coconut resembles lettuce.
16. Place the shaved Nilla wafer “bun bottom” with the natural flat side up.
17. Dab 4 drops of frosting “ketchup” around the edge. Dab 4 drops of frosting “mustard” in the remaining spaces on the edge.
18. Sprinkle green “lettuce” coconut.
19. Place the mint cookie “hamburger patty” on top and gently press down slightly.
20. Squeeze a GOOD dollop of orange “cheese” frosting on top of the cookie.
21. Sprinkle remaining white “onion” coconut on top.
22. Place the sesame-coated “top bun” Nilla wafer on top, and gently press down.
23. Serve with toasted slivered almonds, resembling French fries!
24. *It takes a LOT of liquid red food coloring to get past “pink.” Try using “super red” gel-based red pigment, found at any local cake decorating supply store.