Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Fool 'Em, April!


My son and I spent some quality fun time together in the kitchen the other day whipping up these adorable hamburger cookies for his preschool snack.  He wasn't so sure at first about the outcome especially with the word "hamburger" in the name, but when he checked out the ingredients, he became intrigued.



I have been making these hamburger cookies for nearly 20 years.  (EEK!  Really?)  So long, in fact, that I have no idea from where the original recipe came.    They were the traditional dress rehearsal dessert when I was doing musicals in college.  Everyone expected me to bring them,and that was that.

Here is a fun, completely un-healthy snack, that won't fool anyone, but is cute just the same:



Hamburger Cookies

makes about 40 cookies
  • 1 box vanilla wafers (you will need two boxes if you want very neat buns)
  • 1 package fudge mint cookies (such as Grasshopper cookies)
  • 1 - 12 oz container vanilla frosting
  • shredded coconut
  • honey
  • sesame seeds (I found them very easily in my cupboard thanks to this.)
  • food coloring
You will also need some small sandwich bags, a quart-sized Ziploc bag, and a food-safe paint brush.


Fill the quart-sized bag about half full with coconut, and squirt in some green food coloring.  More food coloring will make the "lettuce" a deeper green.  SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE!


Divide the frosting container into thirds.  Color 1/3 yellow, color 1/3 red, and leave the last 1/3 white.  This makes the "mayo," "mustard," and "ketchup."  Put the frosting condiments into the sandwich bags.  Snip a small corner off of each to make a rudimentary pastry bag.  Put the frosting into the refrigerator to keep cool while you are working on the buns.  Take one condiment out at a time.  You can apply the condiments with an offset spatula, but it takes a whole lot longer. 

You will have more frosting than you need for 40 cookies.  Get two boxes of each type of cookie and you will have enough frosting to make about 50 cookies. 

We used the whole bottle of liquid food coloring to get the deeply-colored condiments.  Paste food coloring could also be used. 
The pastry bags

Sort through the vanilla wafers and remove the broken cookies.  Set out the best ones flat side down on a clean towel or piece of parchment.  Squeeze about 2 tablespoons of honey into a portion cup.  Use the paintbrush to paint the honey on the top of the vanilla wafer to glue on the sesame seeds.  
You can warm the honey to make it spread more easily, but it is not necessary.

Dip the vanilla wafer honey side down into a bowl containing the sesame seeds.  

This is a perfect job for little hands!






Choose a condiment to attach the lettuce to the top bun.  Attaching the lettuce to the top bun makes the finished cookie more stable.  

We chose ketchup!


Use the same dip method that was used for the sesame seeds to attach the lettuce.  


Set the buns lettuce side up back on the towel and set aside while you are preparing the bottom buns.  



Chose another condiment to attach the "burger" to the bottom bun. 

Here is the mayo!
Use the last condiment to attach the bottom bun sections to the top buns.  


Here is the mustard!

Be generous with the condiments so they squish out the side a little.
Place the hamburgers sesame seed side up.

ENJOY!

MMMMM!


Here is your finished product.  

Do you see all of the condiments?
How cute is that!



Store them in an airtight container layered between sheets of waxed paper or parchment in the refrigerator.  

Most of all, have fun!

If you would like a printable recipe, send me an e-mail (found in the Contact Me page) and I will send one to you.

See the fabulously crazy linky parties I link up to here!


This recipe and other awesome projects were featured on the April 8th edition "Crush of the Week" at Flamingo Toes here!

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14 comments:

Cubby said...

I HAVE know idea if my comment went thru but I would like the printable recipe for the April Fool Cookies.

Wendy @ Ramblings from the Sunshine State said...

Those are adorable! My son would love them!

Visiting from Flamingo Toes!

Erin said...

We made these too and they were so stinkin' adorable!

Terry Kempfert - Heritage Maker, Certified Engraver and Calligrapher said...

I would love the recipe too - too cute!

Unknown said...

Would love a printable copy! These are adorable!

Katy @ Lolly Linens said...

Cute, Cute, Cute!
I'd love the printable recipe.
katy_lunsford@yahoo.com

http://createdbykaty.blogspot.com

Miriam said...

Too cute!!!

Unknown said...

these cookies are so much fun..i bet they would be a hit at any party...they really put a smile on my face. thank you for sharing with tuesday night supper club!

Christy said...

WOW! These are so cute! My boys would go crazy for them! Deffinately on my list to make. :) Thanks for visiting my lil blog and becoming a follower. I am your newest follower.

madison avenue said...

those are awesome!! i wanted a hamburger birthday cake...i never got it! thanks for following me :) i am for sure following you back

Kim McCallie said...

How cute! I'm always looking for ideas like this to make for my sons to take to school. This year, I made "bacon and eggs" and they loved them. Thanks for sharing on A Well-Seasoned Life's Sweet Indulgences Sunday.

Tina @ MOMS CRAZY COOKING said...

Thanks for linking to THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS, next Monday is Father's Day Favorite Recipes, hope to see you linking up again!

http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/THIS%20WEEKS%20CRAVINGS

Katie @ This Chick Cooks said...

These are adorable! What a fun way to spend time in the kitchen with your son :) I wanted to invite you over to show off your recipe at These Chicks Cooked Recipe Spotlight. Have a great day!
Katie

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for this recipe. I made them for a cook out we went to and they are still talking about them at his work several months later.