These ultra-rich and chocolaty sandwich cookies have creamy, coffee-spiked centers. Makes 20
Filling
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips (about 3 ounces)
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon instant coffee crystals
¾ cup powdered sugar
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cookies
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
⅔ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 12 ounces)
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
FILLING: Stir chocolate chips, cream, and coffee crystals in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until chocolate melts and coffee dissolves. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl until blended. Beat in chocolate mixture. Chill until beginning to firm, about 8 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Before using, let stand at room temperature until just soft enough to spread, about 2 hours.
COOKIES: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line 2 heavy large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until well blended. Add egg, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and coffee crystals and blend well. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, until tops are just firm to touch and no longer shiny, about 13 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.
Place half of cookies, bottom side up, on work surface. Spread each with 1 tablespoon filling, leaving ¼-inch plain border. Top each with second cookie, bottom side down, pressing to adhere. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Arrange cookies on platter and serve cold.Equipment Tip: Sliding HelpWhen cookies are baked on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, such as Silpat, transferring them to a cooling rack becomes a simple task. There’s no need to transfer the cookies one by one; just slide the sheet of parchment (or the baking mat), cookies and all, off the baking sheet and onto the rack. Once cooled, the cookies will be firm enough to peel off of the parchment paper or the baking mat for picture-perfect results.
These treats are pure decadence. Be sure to use creamy peanut butter—not old-fashioned or freshly ground—for the best consistency in the cookie batter and the filling. Makes about 2½ dozen
Cookies
1¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
½ cup plus ⅓ cup powdered sugar
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1⅓ cups milk chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
Filling
3 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
COOKIES: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and coarse salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar, brown sugar, and butter in large bowl to blend. Add peanut butter and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in oil and vanilla, then egg. Add flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in milk chocolate chips.
Drop cookie dough by level tablespoonfuls onto ungreased heavy rimmed baking sheets, spacing about 1½ inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, until puffed and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly, then transfer cookies to rack to cool completely.
FILLING: Place chopped chocolate, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and coarse salt in medium bowl. Bring whipping cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture; stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Chill until filling is thick and spreadable, about 1 hour.
Spread about 1 rounded teaspoonful filling onto bottom side of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down, forming sandwich. Repeat with remaining filling and cookies.
DO AHEAD: Cookies can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
Strudel is an Austrian pastry in which the filling is wrapped in a multilayered dough. This recipe uses cream cheese to create a flaky, tender dough that is similar to that of a strudel; the dough is then spread with preserves, topped with coconut and cherries, rolled up jelly-roll style, and sliced into individual strudel cookies and baked. If you’re not a fan of coconut, substitute an equal amount of chopped nuts. Makes about 2 dozen
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
4 ounces chilled Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, cut into
½-inch cubes
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup apricot preserves, divided
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, divided
1 cup dried tart or Bing cherries, divided
Combine flour, cream cheese, and butter in processor; blend until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into square. Wrap in plastic; freeze until cold enough to roll, about 15 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter heavy large rimmed baking sheet. Cut dough crosswise in half. Roll out each half on floured surface to 12×8-inch rectangle. Spread each with ¼ cup preserves. Top each with ½ cup coconut and ½ cup cherries. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough up jelly-roll style; pinch long seam together to seal. Cut each roll crosswise into 12 pieces. Arrange pieces, cut side up, on prepared sheet. Flatten each to ½-inch thickness.
Bake cookies until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
DO AHEAD: Cookies can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.