Chocolate Ganache-Filled Button Cookies

from ButterYum

makes approx 30 cookies

Ingredients

For the ganache filling:

• • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • 4 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

For the cookies:

• • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted

Directions

To make the Ganache:

• 1. Gently heat cream and chocolate together; stirring until completely smooth and combined.

  2. Cover and chill for 30 minutes (or make the ganache several hours in advance and let it sit at room temperature until it reaches the proper spreading consistency).

To make the cookie dough:

• 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade attachment, beat the butter on medium high speed for 30 seconds.

  2. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt; beat until combined.

  3. Add egg and vanilla; beat to combine.

  4. Add flour and cocoa powder; mix until incorporated.

  5. Wrap dough well with plastic wrap and chill for 1-3 hours.

  6. Preheat oven to 375F.

  7. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness between two layers of wax paper.

  8. Cut out desired shapes.

  9. Place cookies 2-inches apart on a silicone or parchment lined sheet pan; bake for 8 minutes or until edges are set (tiny cutouts bake for 5-6 minutes).

  10. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

To assemble cookies:

• 1. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the ganache in the center bottom of each cookie and make a sandwich by adding a decorative top cookie.

  2. To store, place unfilled cookies in an airtight container, separating layers with waxed paper, at room temperature for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw and assemble just before service.

My notes: To prevent distortion, I cut my cookie shapes while the dough is still on the waxed paper, then slide the waxed paper onto a cookie sheet and chill for at least 10 minutes before transferring the shapes to a sheet pan.