CHOCOLATE-BERRY SANDWICH COOKIES: National Cookie Exchange Day

Photo: Bonne Maman

It should come as no surprise that December is National Cookie Month. I would venture to say that more cookies are baked this month than any other. Today is National Cookie Exchange Day, and I'll bet a lot of you are doing that today or have been doing that this past week! Well, here's a great cookie for your exchange with friends and family: Chocolate-Berry Sandwich Cookies.

I love Bonne Maman preserves and jellies. There's nothing quite like Bonne Maman for flavor--and I love the jars. I use the jars for layering 'Brownies in a Jar' and other fun gifts, as well as presenting various 'foods' on a stick. I also used several jars this year for flavored sugars. And, on my desk, I have a few jars filled with office supplies and pencils and pens. The jar is such a great shape (see end of post), I always find a use for them. They never end up in the recycling bin because I "recycle" them 'in-house.'

But loving the jar doesn't take precedence over loving the taste of the Bonne Maman delicious preserves and jellies. They are truly fabulous. The Bonne Maman website has lots of great recipes using their products. You'll want to have a peek. One of my favorites is this recipe for Chocolate-Berry Sandwich Cookies. If you don't have time to make the cookies from scratch, just grab your favorite chocolate cookies, make the filling, and assemble. Perfect for the holidays! Very Festive.

CHOCOLATE-BERRY SANDWICH COOKIES

Ingredients

Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for shaping and rolling
2/3 cup natural cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry or Cherry Filling 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves or Cherry Preserves 

Directions 

Make the cookies:
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until pale yellow and airy, about 5 minutes.
Add egg and vanilla and beat just until incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to low, add flour mixture and mix until evenly combined.
Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface and divide into two equal pieces. Shape each mound of dough into ball, flatten into disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350° and line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use rolling pin to roll one of chilled cookie dough discs into a 1/4 inch thick sheet.
Use 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter to cut dough into circles and place them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
Bake cookies until their edges are firm and centers are slightly soft and puffed, 8 to 10 minutes.
Use metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
Cool cookies completely before filling.

Make filling: 
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed until light and airy, about 5 minutes.
Turn off mixer, remove bowl from the mixer stand and stir in strawberry (or cherry) preserves.
Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with small tube tip and pipe 1 to 2 tablespoons of the filling on the center of half of the cookies (or use spoon to scoop the filling).
Top each filling-topped half with another cookie and press down slightly to evenly distribute the filling.
Serve immediately.