Tehachapi Moon Pies Recipes

MOON PIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the graham crumbs, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another large bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg and beat to combine. Add the graham mixture and beat to incorporate. Knead with your hands to bring the dough together into a ball.
• Flatten the dough into a disk, place it on a piece of parchment paper and roll with a rolling pin into an 11-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 8 cookies. Reroll the scraps to 1/4 inch and cut out 2 more cookies. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Discard the dough scraps.
• Bake the cookies until the undersides are golden brown and the tops are just set, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
• Put about 2 tablespoons of marshmallow creme in the center of a cookie (do not spread) and top with a second cookie to make a sandwich. The creme will ooze to fill the sandwich as it sits. Repeat with the remaining cookies, then freeze until the creme is firm, about 20 minutes.
• For the glaze: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil the paper.
• Put the chocolate candy coating in a heatsafe bowl (the smallest, deepest bowl it can fit in without surpassing the rim). Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Submerge a cookie sandwich in the melted chocolate and pull it out using 2 forks, letting the excess drip off. Transfer to the prepared cooling rack and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Transfer to the oiled parchment on the second baking sheet to set. Repeat with the remaining cookie sandwiches.

FULL MOON PIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add cake mix, pudding mix, 1/2 cup milk and the eggs; beat on medium-high speed until blended.
• Using 1 1/2-inch scoop, drop slightly mounded scoops of dough about 1 inch apart onto cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes until set (do not overbake). Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• In medium bowl, mix filling ingredients until well blended. For each pie, spread about 1 tablespoon filling on bottom of 1 cooled cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down; gently press cookies together.
• In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and 4 teaspoons milk with spoon until smooth. Drizzle icing over sandwich cookies. Sprinkle with edible glitter.

HOMEMADE MOON PIES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugars, and salt together with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla; beat until incorporated.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and cornstarch together. Add it to the butter mixture and beat until fully incorporated. Gather the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Scoop 1 tablespoon sized pieces of dough and roll them into balls. Place the balls of dough 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned.
• Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar in a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil and cook to "soft-ball" stage, about 235°F.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the egg white on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and set aside to soften. Once the syrup reaches 235°F, add in the softened gelatin and mix until fully dissolved. With the mixer running on low, slowly pour the syrup into the beaten egg white. Add the vanilla. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and continue to beat until stiff. (This may take around 3-5 minutes)
• Transfer the marshmallow to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe a large kiss of marshmallow on the bottom side of half the cookies. Top with a second cookie to form a sandwich. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Add chocolate and oil to a heatproof bowl and set it over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir constantly until chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Working with one cookie at a time, use a fork to dip it into the bowl of melted chocolate. Flip it over to fully coat the cookie in chocolate. Tap off any excess and let it drip back into the bowl. Place the cookies on a wire rack set over a large baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is set.
• Keep cookies stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Cookies with keep for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container.

TEHACHAPI MOON PIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, marshmallow cream, vanilla and orange zest with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.
• Using a 2 1/2 to 3-inch biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter, cut out the outside edge of each cookie to form clean smooth edges. You can use various size cutters to make different size cookies if desired.
• Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling on to the bottom of 6 cookies. Top with the remaining cookies and lightly press down so that the filling is pushed to the edge of the cookie.
• Place the sprinkles into a saucer and roll the sides of each moon pie into the sprinkles. Place on a serving dish.