Spicy Wasabi Peas get cozy with brown sugar, tender Walnuts and crispy rice cereal in this delicious, unconventional spin on Lace Cookies.

The buttercream filling is teased with a light hint of fresh lime making this a winning combination of flavors.

For the tastiest results, make these cookies a day in advance, giving them time to rest and slightly soften.

This recipe yields about 18 sandwich cookies.

Step 1: Lace Cookie Ingredients and Preparation:

Lace Cookie Ingredients:

1/2 C Wasabi Peas- hammered into coarse pieces
1/2 C Walnuts- coarsely chopped (or hammered! ;-)
1/4 C Crispy Rice Cereal (Rice Crispies)- Optional
1/3 C All-purpose Flour
1/4 C Butter (1/2 stick)- room temperature
1/3 C Brown Sugar- packed
2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

You'll also need parchment paper (or a silpat mat) to bake these cookies on.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the wasabi peas into a plastic baggie. Use a kitchen mallet to hammer/smack/whack them into coarse pieces. If your walnuts are whole, put them in a baggie hammer/whack/smack them, too! ;-)

Place the peas, walnuts and rice crispies into a bowl and set aside.

Combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in medium saucepan over low heat. Stir until until melted and smooth, then bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Add wasabi peas, walnuts, rice crispies and vanilla and stir to combine thoroughly.

Allow the cookie mixture to cool for a minute or so. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. This batter/dough is sticky and you'll probably have to use your fingers as it cools down. Be careful not to burn yourself.

Bake cookies (1 sheet at a time) about 11 minutes until flat, bubbly and lightly browned. Cool on sheet 10 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.

Hint: If you didn't space the cookies properly and they join together, use a knife to gently seperate them while they are still hot.

Step 2: Lime Buttercream Ingredients, Prep and Assembly:

Lime Buttercream Ingredients:

2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 or 2 Limes- (2 Tablespoons Lime juice plus 1/2 teaspoon Lime zest)
1/2 Cup Butter- Room temperature

Preparation:

For the Lime zest: Use the finest holes on a cheese grater. Grate the Lime in one direction, rotating it to gently strip off the green zest and not the white pith underneath.

Set the zest aside.

Cut the lime in half and extract the juice into a small bowl. If you don't have a juicer, cut the lime into quarters and squeeze them with your fingers. Remove all seeds. Hint: To extract the maximum amount of juice, make sure the lime is a room temperature and roll it around on your countertop to soften the inner fruit before juicing.

Next:

Combine soft Butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer and whip them together until light and fluffy. Add the lime zest and the lime juice and continue whipping the buttercream until fully incorporated.

Simple Assembly:

Spoon a generous teaspoon (or 2!) of Lime buttercream filling on to the flat bottomside of one cookie. Spread the filling to the edges, then top with a second cookie and gently press them together. Repeat this process with the remaining cookies.

As I mentioned in the introduction, these cookies soften and taste the best (my opinion) when made a day in advance.

Just cover them with plastic wrap or in a tupperware container. If you keep your house warm, store in the fridge overnight, but serve at room temperature.

These cookies will keep well for a few days and freeze beautifully.