Happy almost Valentine’s Day! Are you ready for the big day? Do you have an office party, kid’s class party or need some sweets to treat your friends this Friday? Our Chocolate Valentine’s Cookie Sandwiches are perfect. They are easy to make and come in two flavors to please everyone on your sweet list! One is filled with marshmallow buttercream and chocolate ganache, the other with a cinnamon buttercream. They are pretty and festive and perfect for gifting and for eating 🙂

We hope you have a love and treat filled Valentine’s Day!

Roll the dough balls in sanding sugar or festive nonpareils.

Dough balls can be prepared ahead of time and frozen until ready to bake.

Allow baked cookies to cool completely on baking sheets before filling.

Combine red hots and water and simmer to reduce to a syrup.

Pipe cinnamon red hot filling in a spiraling circle to fill bottom of one cookie. Top with second cookie and press lightly to adhere.

Mmmm…what we affectionately refer to as Cinnamon Red Hot Mmmoreos!

For the marshmallow and chocolate ganache filling, pipe a circle with the marshmallow and fill the center with chocolate ganache. Top with second cookie and press lightly to adhere.

A festive and delicious Valentine’s treat!

Chocolate Valentine’s Cookie Sandwiches Two Ways

Cookies:

• 8 oz unsalted butter at room temp
• 25 oz granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 9 oz AP flour
• 4 oz Dutch cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• Red sanding sugar or other decorative mix for rolling

Preheat oven to 350.  Line baking sheets with parchment.  In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, soda, powder and salt.  Beat butter and sugar until well blended.  Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.  Refrigerate dough about 1 hour or overnight.

Form dough into 1” balls.  Roll each ball in sugar.  Place on parchment lined sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes– cookies may not look cooked all the way through, but that’s ok.  Let cool on rack.

Cinnamon Red Hot Filling:

• 4 oz butter
• 9 oz confectioner’s sugar
• red hot syrup (see below)
• 1-2 TBS heavy cream (if needed)

Red Hot Syrup

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup red hots

Bring water to boil.  Add red hots and stir to melt.  Reduce until syrupy, about 5-6 minutes (do not over-reduce!)  Let cool.

Beat butter until smooth and light.  Add sugar and beat about 2-3 minutes.  Add syrup and beat another 1-2 minutes.  If the filling seems too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream and beat to combine.

Assembly with Cinnamon Red Hot Filling

Match up cookies of similar size. Pipe Cinnamon red hot filling in circular motion to coat bottom of one cookie using #2 or #3 plain tip. Place second cookie on top, bottom side down and press together lightly to adhere.

Marshmallow Filling

• 2 oz unsalted butter – room temperature
• 4 oz shortening
• ½ tsp salt dissolved in 2 tsp warm water
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 5 oz confectioner’s sugar
• 5 oz marshmallow fluff

Cream butter and shortening.  Beat in salt water, vanilla and sugar.  Beat until fluffy.  Add marshmallow fluff and beat to incorporate.

Chocolate Ganache:

• 5 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 7 oz heavy cream

Place chocolate and heavy cream in small microwave safe bowl. Stir to combine. Microwave on 50% power for 45 seconds. Let sit for 1 minute and then stir to combine. If chocolate is not quite melted, microwave on 50% power in 10 second intervals, stirring after each interval until smooth.

Assembly with marshmallow filling

Match up cookies of similar size. Pipe “dam” of marshmallow filling around bottom edge of one cookie using #2 or #3 plain tip. Fill center with chocolate ganache.  Place second cookie on top, bottom side down and press together lightly to adhere.

Finished cookies can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes about 50 sandwich cookies