I’ve mentioned quite a few times how much I love all things citrus, and it’s true, though I’ve never discussed the one exception. Grapefruit. It all stems from an experience I had as a kid. I slept over a friend’s house and the next morning we bounded downstairs for breakfast. Imagine my surprise when breakfast wasn’t cereal or waffles, but half a grapefruit. Yikes! It wasn’t something I’d ever had before, and though I tried to be polite, I was not a fan – it was simply too bitter for me. I went home hungry, and convinced I would never eat grapefruit again. And I didn’t, for over 15 years.
Recently, I decided it was probably time to give it another try. There are tons of other foods I didn’t like as a kid that I now eat. Why not grapefruit? I was inspired, in part, by Shawnda whose love of grapefruit is unlike any I’ve ever seen. She’s incorporated it in quite a few recipes – both savory and sweet, but I decided to play it safe and start with cookies. If I didn’t like grapefruit with lots of butter and sugar in the mix, I probably wasn’t going to like it any other way π
The grapefruit flavor is infused into both the cookies and the filling in these little sandwiches using the zest and juice of the grapefruit. The recipe called for a Ruby Red grapefruit, but I wound up using a Texas Rio Star, which was a vibrant shade of reddish-pink inside and (according to some articles I’ve read) among the sweetest types of grapefruit. I halved the recipe in case I didn’t like the cookies, but I’m definitely regretting that decision. They were delicious – slightly crumbly and chewy with a sweet pink buttercream in the middle. I may be changing my stance on grapefruit π I’m already trying to decide what I can make next with the leftover grapefruit half.
Pink Grapefruit Sandwich Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart and Confections of a Foodie Bride
Cookies
zest of 1 Ruby Red grapefruit
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup freshly squeezed juice Ruby Red grapefruit juice
Filling
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons Ruby Red grapefruit zest
3 tablespoons Ruby Red grapefruit juice
1 tiny drop red food coloring (optional)
Whisk the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Combine the zest and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Rub the zest and sugar together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter to the mixing bowl, and cream the butter and sugar mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg yolks, and beat until combined. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the juice, and beat until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until for 30 minutes, or until firm.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Working on a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thick. Use a 2-inch cookie cutter, dipping in flour, to cut out as many rounds as possible. Transfer the rounds to the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them. Reroll the scraps and repeat to get as many rounds as possible.
Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, or until just barely golden around the edges. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for a few minutes, then remove them to the rack to cool completely.
To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar and zest on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the juice and food coloring (if using) and beat until smooth and creamy.
Match the cookies in pairs by size. Spread (or pipe, which is my preferred method) 2-3 teaspoons of filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Top each pair with its mate, and gently press to push the filling out to the edges. Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Makes about 18 sandwich cookies
Wow, these look so delicate and delicious. Perfect for a tea party.
We are so much alike! I like citrus too, but don’t like grapefruit. These little cookies are beautiful and I would definitely give them a try. Who knows? May turn me around too.
They look delicious!!
Interesting! I’ve also never been a fan of grapefruit. My husband had actually never tried one when we got married, so on our first dinner on our honeymoon, we ordered a fruit appetizer and I gave him a grapefruit slice – straight up. No sugar or anything. It was quite humorous.
Ooh, those sound yummy! I’ve always hated grapefruit too- it’s just so unbelievably bitter! But everything tastes good in cookies, right?
xoxo
Ashley
These look so cute, and I love the pink filling. I’ve never had grapefruit, but I hear it’s really good if you top it with sugar and then brulee it π
looks delish I pinned it for you, and of course myself, hope you get some pvs!!
I love the light pink frosting filling. I haven’t had a grapefruit in years but these sound delicious.
Tracey these are gorgeous!
The are *perfect*. Wow.
And the flavor…mmm, I want!
LOVE these!
I couldn’t resist and had one of these cookies that you gave us on our way home from the restaurant, Tracey. They were delicious! You could definitely taste the grapefruit but it wasn’t overpowering at all. Only yummy! Thanks for sharing!
These are so pretty! I always thought grapefruit was too bitter too, but maybe it’s time I gave it another try as well…cookies seem like the best way to ease into that π
Oh wow! These are adorable! π
I just showed these to my mom and she said “I MUST make them for her immediately!” They look amazing!!
They looks so yummy and dainty.
These are so pretty! And the sound amazing. I haven’t tried a grapefruit flavoured cookie, but I know I’ll like it!
Those cookies are totally the Grapefruit Gateway π You’ll be hooked like me in no time!
They look pretty! I like grapefruit, but I’m not sure how I’d feel about it in a cookie. Although orange and lemon in cookies is good, so why not?
I love grapefruit – always have, always will (although as a grapefruit-loving child, even I would have been taken aback by a grapefruit-only breakfast). These little sandwiches have the loveliest color.
I can see how that would be a pretty disappointing breakfast for a kid. I’m glad you’ve giving grapefruits another try, though. They’re one of my favorite parts of winter. I don’t bake with them much, but these cookies look so good that might have to change.
These cookies are so pretty! Love them – such a lovely pink color in the filling! π
These are so pretty and dainty – I’m thinking they’d be wonderful on a tea plate or perfect for a baby shower.
I also swore off grapefruit as a kid. My grandparents would have grapefruit halves at breakfast and I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to eat something so bitter and sour. I haven’t tried them again as an adult, but this cookie version looks a good way to give them a second chance. And they are pretty too!
Look so yumm….n Fab
I have a serious love for grapefruit (esp the juice!) so these are perfect for me!
I’ve been wanting to make these for a while. I think you’ve inspired me!
Love grapefruit and these are so pretty! Must go here so.
Oooh, yummy! I love grapefruit.
Pretty cookies. But seriously…who serves grapefruit to a kid who is a guest the morning after a sleep over!? π
The cookie is delish! I must admit I added a bit more zest to the cookie. The filling was a bit rich, so I made a second batch using a filling made with cream cheese, grated white chocolate, grapefruit juice and zest, and a bit of powdered sugar. absolutely fabulous – thank you for the inspiration!!