Holiday Cheer in Every Bite: Crunchy Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
These scrumptious treats are the perfect addition to your holiday celebrations. With their crunchy chocolate exterior and fluffy vanilla buttercream filling, infused with the sweetness of peppermint or crushed candy canes, they’re sure to spread joy and cheer.
A Delicious Twist on a Classic
To create these delightful cookies, you’ll need a few simple ingredients, including all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, Dutch-process cocoa powder, and unsalted butter. The best part? You can customize them to your taste by omitting the peppermint flavor if you prefer.
Getting Started: Preparing the Cookie Dough
Begin by combining the egg yolk and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Next, pulse the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a food processor until well combined. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles sand. Then, add the egg yolk mixture and pulse until a ball forms.
Shaping and Chilling the Dough
Divide the dough into two equal portions and roll each into a log. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour, or until firm but still pliable. If desired, use a paper towel tube to help maintain the cylindrical shape.
Baking the Cookies
Heat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough logs from the refrigerator, slice them into 1/8-inch coins, and place the cookies about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9 minutes, then rotate the sheets and continue baking for an additional 7-8 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the tops are soft.
Preparing the Filling
Crush peppermint candies or candy canes into tiny pieces using a meat mallet or frying pan. Then, combine the powdered sugar and butter in a stand mixer and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and crushed candies, and mix until just combined.
Assembling the Sandwich Cookies
Flip half of the cooled cookies onto their tops and pipe the filling onto each cookie bottom. Close with the cookie tops and gently press to flatten until the filling reaches the edges. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
With these crunchy chocolate sandwich cookies, you’ll be spreading holiday cheer in no time!
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