Back to the Cutting Board

Cherry Chocolate Malt Cookie Sandwiches

adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cookies ^[1]

Dessert, Cookies | Yield: 18-20 large cookie sandwiches
Prep time: 40 min | Cook time: 10 min | Total time: 50 min

Ingredients

Cookies

• 2 cups plus 2 tbsp. flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup plain malted milk powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. course salt
• 1 cup (8 oz. – 2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
• 2 tbsp. hot water

Filling

• 1 1/4 cup fresh or frozen pitted dark, sweet cherries
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 7 1/2 oz. good quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Process

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Sift together flour, cocoa, malted milk powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, creme fraiche and hot water.
4. Add in the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
5. Scoop out the dough with a tablespoon and place each mound at least 3 inches apart on large parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until just firm, 10-12 minutes. Transfer the parchment to wire racks and cool cookies completely.
6. While the cookies cool, put the cherries and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until tender and juicy, about 8-10 minutes (longer if using frozen cherries). Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a food processor or blender to puree the cherries. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl. Set aside.
7. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or over low heat. Remove from heat and very slowly pour in the cream, whisking steadily to incorporate it. Add cherry juice, whisking in a little at a time until you get the color you like (using all will give you a dark purple like mine). Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8. Spread 1 tablespoon on filling onto the bottom of one cookie and sandwich another on top. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.

Stack the cookies between layers of parchment and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.