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Chocolate Valentine's Sandwich Cookies

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cherry frosting, chocolate rolled cookies, cookies, Valentine's Day
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 620kcal
Chocolate roll out cookies with cherry frosting are a match made in heaven!
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Chocolate Rolled Cookies

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp chocolate liqueur Or extra strong coffee. This can be made with about 1 teaspoon of instant espresso dissolved into 2 Tablespoons warm water.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Cherry Frosting

  • 1 cup butter 2 sticks
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tbsp maraschino cherry juice
  • 1/2 cup maraschino cherries finely chopped
  • pinch salt

Instructions

Chocolate Rolled Cookies

  • Sift together (or gently stir with a whisk) the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • With an electric mixer cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until fully incorporated and fluffy.
  • Beat in egg, coffee or liqueur, and vanilla.
  • Add in flour/cocoa mixture about 1 cup at a time. Blend until fully incorporated. (If you are using a hand mixer you may need to add the last cup of flour by hand).
  • Divide dough into two or three large balls, place in a plastic bag and chill in the refrigerator 1-2 hours (if you’re in a hurry, you can chill the dough for about 20 minutes in the freezer).
  • Once chilled, work with one ball of dough at a time, and roll onto a lightly floured surface. I find it works best to place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough, and then roll on top of the parchment. This prevents the dough from sticking to your rolling pin, and you also don’t need to add as much extra flour (as you would without the parchment).
  • Cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters and place on a baking sheet.
  • Place the baking sheet (with cookies on it) in the freezer about 5 minutes (this helps the dough keep it’s shape when baked).
  • Bake cookies for 7-10 minutes (depending on size) in a 350*F oven.
  • Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet a few minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Cherry Frosting

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter until smooth.
  • With the mixer running, Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
  • Add 4 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice, one tablespoon at a time.
  • Continue beating, and add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, and chopped maraschino cherries. If desired, add a drop of pink food coloring (I used Americolor electric pink).
  • Beat until fully combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembly

  • For easy application, fill a large piping bag fitted with a round tip (with a 1/4- 1/2 inch wide opening).  Or simply use a large plastic ziplock type bag and snip off the tip. 
  • Squeeze frosting onto what was the bottom side of a cookie. 
  • Top with another cookie.  If desired, immediately sprinkle edges of frosting with sprinkles.

Notes

The frosting needs to be on the thick side, or it will just squeeze out and make a mess.  Be sure to add only a limited amount of liquid to whichever frosting you use, or add an additional cup of powdered sugar.  Additionally keeping the frosting very cool will help.  If the frosting is too soft, put it in the fridge to set up.  Also, as you make the sandwich cookies, you can pop them in the freezer for just a couple minutes to set up.

Nutrition

Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 141g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 221mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 100g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 3mg