November 2, 2019
CHOCOLATE FILLED SPICE COOKIES
You know what goes really well with chilly, fall weather? Baking. Give me all the cinnamon & vanilla & ginger & nutmeg! Baking signals the start of the holidays for me– a warm, spicy aroma in the kitchen with music or a fun movie playing in the background.
I’m notching a change in baking with Collins. When she was little bitty, she was happy with stirring & helping me pour some of the ingredients in the bowl. Now, she wants to do every bit she can by herself, & she wants to watch herself in the camera (when we film for the cooking show), & I feel myself not being as patient with her as I was when she was younger. So this time is a solid mix of sweet memory making fun & me learning to relax a little. My life these days is basically just one big lesson in either patience or flexibility. I’m hoping to graduate to a lighter class load soon, but I’m kind of doubting it. Being an adult is hard. Sometimes I still can’t believe I’m actually in charge of real human children. At least they’ll be able to measure flour & appreciate a good cookie.
These cookies are delicious, & I hope you enjoy them as much as we are this season, too!
MILK CHOCOLATE STUFFED SPICE COOKIES via HalfBaked Harvest
INGREDIENTS3 sticks salted butter, softened1 1/4 C coconut sugar (or brown sugar)1 T pure vanilla extract2 eggs, room temperature4 1/2 C flour (we used white pastry flour because we had that on hand, but the original recipe calls for all purpose)1 tsp baking soda1 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp ginger1/4 tsp nutmeg1/2 tsp salt12 ounces milk chocolate, melted
CINNAMON SUGAR COATING2 T salted butter3 T cinnamon sugar (mix 1 T cinnamon & 3 T sugar– you’ll have 1 T left over)
INSTRUCTIONS1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar, & vanilla until light & fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, & mix. Add all of your dry ingredients until the dough forms into a ball.2. Flour your work surface– then flour it again. You want a lot of flour because this dough is super sticky (but rolls well because BUTTER).3. Divide your dough in half & flatten each half into a disc. Roll the first half to 1/4 inch thick.3. Cut your cookies with a cookie cutter of your choice. On the original recipe, she used a pumpkin that cut out the eyes & mouth. I used an owl & acorn because we had those on hand.4. Transfer your cookies to a parchment lined baking sheet & freeze in batches for 15-20 minutes.5. Take your scraps of dough & re-form into a ball & roll out to cut more shapes.6. Repeat with the second disc of dough.7. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees, & bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely.8. Add 2 T butter to a pot & while stirring consistently for 2-3 minutes, allow it to brown. When it smells toasty (not burned), pull away from the heat. (Don’t stir with a plastic spoon….I melted mine in the butter! Oops.) Let butter cool in a small bowl for five minutes.9. Give each cookie a buddy (lay one on top of the other). Brush the top cookies with the melted butter & sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.10. Melt your chocolate in the microwave.11. Spread a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom cookie, & then place the top cookie with butter & cinnamon sugar on top. Press down lightly.12. Eat immediately or store at room temperature or in the refrigerator!
Notes: We tried these cookies with chocolate, on their own, & with chocolate after being in the fridge overnight. They were delicious all three ways, but honestly, I like them plain the best! They aren’t too sweet on their own, & would be a perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of tea or coffee. I liked them with chocolate after being in the fridge. The chocolate firmed up & tasted like a holiday Milano cookie. Every family member was a big fan of this recipe! Definitely calling it a win. And if you don’t have cookie cutters, use a mason jar lid to make perfect rounds. I’ll probably do that next time to keep it simple. They taste like the perfect fall cookie– no owl shape required! But yes, I know, the shapes make them special! Maybe I’ll order a pumpkin cookie cutter for next time.
I post our cooking show videos on Instagram, & you can also view this one below!
