Creative Cookies, Part 1

Maybe leftover cookies aren't a problem in your house, But... once in awhile you might find some cookies you forgot about and they might be less fresh than you'd like. Don't throw them out! There are some creative ways to bring new life to old cookies, and over the next couple weeks I'll share a few recipes to use with our gluten-free cookies.

Remember those old fashioned icebox cakes? They were an easy way to make 'cake' by layering cookie wafers with pudding and/or sweetened whipped cream and letting it sit for awhile in the fridge (icebox) so the cookies would soak up the moisture and become cake-like.
I think this is a great way to revive stale cookies. You can experiment with different cookies and flavoured whipped cream and syrups - maybe even try cookie crumbles layered with softened ice cream and freeze your own ice cream cake!
You could make a large cake by layering the cookies in a springform pan, as pictured here from the recipe for Mocha Chocolate Cake by Ina Garten (we recommend using our gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies).

Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake

Or, you could make mini individual icebox cakes in ramekins or wide-mouth mason jars, as in this recipe for Icebox Tiramisu by The View from Great Island.

Icebox Tiramisu

Icebox Tiramisu Recipe*

(*with some adjustments by me to use our gluten-free cookies, and a better liqueur than Kahlua..;) )

Ingredients

2/3 cup cold heavy whipping cream
3 tsp gluten-free icing sugar, such as Rogers
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup cold instant espresso (or brewed espresso, or very strong coffee)
1/3 cup coffee liqueur like Depth Charge by Wayward Distillation House (available at Vessel Liquor Store, very close to our Pandora store!)
20 Origin Bakery chocolate ginger chew cookies - make sure these are stale or dried; if they're fresh, I'd suggest ice cream sandwiches instead!2 oz semi sweet chocolate for grating

Instructions

Whip the cream until it starts to thicken. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue whipping until it's firm and holds it's shape. Mix together the espresso and liqueur and set aside. Take four glasses or small dessert bowls and layer one cookie at the bottom of each. Spoon 2 tsp of the espresso mixture on top, spreading it around so the entire cookie gets soaked. Grate a layer of chocolate over the top of the cookie, using a microplane or small grater.
Put a dessert spoon full of cream on top of the cookie and chocolate. Take another cookie and lay it on top of the cream, pressing down slightly to spread the cream out. Continue layering until you have 5 layers, ending with whipped cream and a final sprinkling of chocolate. Cover loosely and put in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to let the moisture soak through the cookies.
Note: If you are making these in mason jars, don't put on the last topping of whipped cream, just screw on the caps and refrigerate until ready to serve, then top with the last layer of whipped cream and shaved chocolate.