Button Cookies

Ok, how adorable are these button cookies?  Everybody loves chocolate sandwich cookies filled with creamy chocolate ganache, but seriously, turn them into big buttons and I can’t stand it! I think mom would especially like them on Mother’s Day.

For this project you'll need a few simple tools. A straw, wax paper, a set of double sided scalloped cookie cutters, and a rolling pin.

If you don't have a pin with rolling guides, use a regular rolling pin and two wooden skewers.

Cut cookie shapes using scalloped cutter. Keep the bottom half of each sandwich cookie plain like this.

For the top half of each cookie, use something small and round to make an indentation like you see here. Then use a straw to make two button holes. Bake and cool the cookies before filling with ganache.

Use a piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner snipped off to fill the cookies. Turn one of the plain bottom cookies over so the bottom faces up and swirl on a good amount of ganache. Then cover with one of the decorative button cookies. Allow the ganache to set before serving (a couple of hours or overnight).

Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• dutch processed cocoa powder https://amzn.to/3AJfxep

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3udVX90

• beaterblade attachment https://amzn.to/3s6UtuO

• double-sided round cutters https://amzn.to/3KVLd5h

• rolling pin https://amzn.to/3KM1j14

• rolling guides https://amzn.to/3o8uPED

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3Hd0MmM

• silpat baking mat https://amzn.to/3HbFRQR
  

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Ganache-Filled Chocolate Button Cookies

makes approximately 30 cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the ganache filling:

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 4 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

For the cookies:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted

Directions

To make the Ganache:

1. Gently heat cream and chocolate together; stirring until completely smooth and combined.

2. Cover and chill for 30 minutes (or make the ganache several hours in advance and let it sit at room temperature until it reaches the proper spreading consistency).

To make the cookie dough:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade attachment, beat the butter on medium high speed for 30 seconds.

2. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt; beat until combined.

3. Add egg and vanilla; beat to combine.

4. Add flour and cocoa powder; mix until incorporated.

5. Wrap dough well with plastic wrap and chill for 1-3 hours.

6. Preheat oven to 375F.

7. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness between two layers of wax paper (these rolling guides work really well).

8. Cut out desired shapes (I used these cutters).

9. Place cookies 2-inches apart on a silpat or parchment lined half sheet pan; bake for 8 minutes or until edges are set (tiny cutouts bake for 5-6 minutes).

10. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

To assemble cookies:

1. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the ganache in the center bottom of each cookie and make a sandwich by adding a decorative top cookie.

2. To store, place unfilled cookies in an airtight container, separating layers with waxed paper, at room temperature for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw and assemble just before service.

Note

• To prevent distortion, I cut my cookie shapes while the dough is still on the waxed paper, then slide the waxed paper onto a cookie sheet and chill for at least 10 minutes before transferring the shapes to a sheet pan for baking. 

Gluten-Free Fudge Cookies

These Fudge Cookies are the bomb!  They're soft, and chewy, and absolutely packed full of deep chocolate flavor.  Oh, and did I mention they're gluten-free and dairy-free too!  You are going to LOVE these cookies!  The recipe comes together pretty quickly using a stand mixer.  Here's how they're made.

We're going to start with confectioners sugar (aka 10x, powdered sugar, or icing sugar).  

I always sift confectioners sugar because it's notoriously clumpy. 

Next we need Dutch-process cocoa.  Use very good quality - it's the major flavor component of these cookies.

Again, cocoa powder is notoriously clumpy so it gets sifted too.   I use a mesh strainer to sift my dry ingredients, but I know some people are very fond of a more traditional sifter.

Stir the sifted sugar and cocoa together.

Done. 

Time to add the egg whites.  Because eggs whites aren't a consistent size, I like to weigh them.  Actually, I like to use a digital scale to weigh most ingredients when I bake - it's the most reliable way to get consistent results, but we can talk about that another time.

Ok, we need just a couple more super yummy ingredients like pure vanilla extract and espresso powder.  These two brands are excellent.  You won't be disappointed if you use them.  

In goes the espresso powder.

Followed by the pure vanilla extract - use the good stuff! 

Place the mixing bowl on the stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or, even better, a BeaterBlade.  I love using a BeaterBlade because it has silicone ribs that scrape the sides of the bowl for you.  No more stopping to scrape down the sides manually.  Love, love, love my BeaterBlade (they're available in different sizes so be sure to get the one that fits your mixer).

Time to mix.  Since the cocoa powder and confectioners sugar tend to create a cloud of dust when mixing, I like to cover the mixer and bowl with a clean kitchen towel until all the dry ingredients are moistened.  Plastic wrap works well too.  

Okay, the cookie dough is done when all the ingredients are combined.  It'll be smooth and glossy and should look like this.  Let the dough rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes to firm up a bit before scooping.

Use a #50 scoop to portion the cookie dough onto a Silpat lined half sheet pan (these cookies don't look as nice when baked on parchment).  Using a portion scoop will ensure the most consistent results.  

See how all the cookie blobs are the same size and they're spaced evenly on the sheet pan?  That enables them all to bake in the same amount of time and they'll all be the same size.  If you don't have a #50 scoop, you can portion the dough using a level tablespoon.  

This cookie dough contains a lot of confectioners sugar which tends to dry out easily so cover it with a damp kitchen towel to prevent it from crusting between batches (I reused the same towel that covered my stand mixer earlier).  

Oh my, they're sooooo good.  I wish you could smell them.  I'm dying!!   

Now muster all your will power and allow the cookies to cool completely on the sheet pan before serving.  Mmm... they're so soft and chewy and fudgy and amazing.  You're going to love them!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• digital scale https://amzn.to/3HdExwS

• #50 cookie scoop https://amzn.to/3gnQ6Gh

• silpat liners https://amzn.to/3r8YuiM

• half sheet pans https://amzn.to/3g717eP

• beaterblade attachment https://amzn.to/3GabbOL

• dutch processed cocoa powder https://amzn.to/3Ho2mSE

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3HanYSv

• instant espresso powder https://amzn.to/3Ho2mSE

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Gluten-Free Fudge Cookies

makes 32 cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups (18 ounces, 518g) confectioners sugar, sifted

• 2 cups (6 ounces, 184g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted

• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml, 3g) fine salt

• 6 large egg whites (6 ounces, 180g)

• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) espresso powder

• 4 teaspoons (20 ml) pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Line two half sheet pans with Silpat liners.

3. Stir the sifted confectioners sugar and cocoa powder together in the bowl of a stand mixer.

4. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and place on mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a BeaterBlade attachment.

5. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are completely combined and the dough is smooth and glossy.

6. Allow the cookie dough to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.

7. Use a #50 scoop to portion dough onto half sheet pans lined with Silpat liners.

8. Bake on center rack for 8-12 minutes. The cookies should begin to crack when they're done.

9. Remove from oven and allow to cookies to cool completely on sheet pan.

Note 

• Store cookies in an airtight container between layers of wax paper.