Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Sandwiches with Candy Cane Frosting

"Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Sandwiches with Candy Cane Frosting" is a mouthful, both literally and figuratively! They're Christmassy as sandwich cookies, but the cookies on their own are favorites any time of year.

These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies were one of many delicious treats I received in my share of a cookie exchange. They were absolutely delicious on their own, but having just made buttercream frosting for something else, and spying a lonesome, un-wanted, cracked candy cane on the garland above my door, I thought I could give this candy cane a purpose this Christmas season.

This is definitely more than your average cookie. These @epicurious cookies are chocolatey, gooey and outrageously good. If you’re making the 'sandwiches' as pictured here, I’d halve the amount of espresso powder, it was a little overpowering with the mint. But if you make them just as cookies, the full amount of coffee is juuuuuust right. Sending you all lots of festive love! xoxo Kirsty

Ingredients for 24 cookies, or 12 sandwich cookies

• 1 cup (145g) flour

• 1/2 cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1-1/2 cups (330g) packed brown sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (increase to 4 teaspoons if making cookies without the candy cane frosting)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 4 oz. (113g) dark chocolate, at least 60% cocoa solids, chopped

• 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup (65g) confectioners' sugar
  

For the candy cane frosting:

• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1-3/4 cups (225g) confectioners’ sugar

• pinch of salt

• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

• 1 crushed candy cane, regular size, or swirly peppermint hard candy, (0.44oz/12grams)
  

To make the Crinkle Cookies

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

3. Beat the brown sugar, eggs, espresso powder and vanilla together in large bowl for 1 minute, until a completely combined.

4. Combine chocolate and butter in a seperate bowl and melt in a bain-marie or microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until just melted.

5. Whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until combined. Fold in the flour mixture until no streaks remain.

6. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

7. Place the sugar and confectioners' sugar in separate shallow bowls. Remove the dough from the fridge, and using 2 teaspoons, scoop little balls of dough. Drop the dough balls directly into granulated sugar and roll to coat.

8. Transfer dough balls to the bowl with confectioners' sugar and roll to coat again. By now they should be pretty round. Evenly space dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, around 12 per sheet.

9. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. The edges should be slightly set, but the centers can be soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the sandwiches

1. Whilst the cookies are cooling, you can prepare the buttercream. Place the butter in a large bowl and beat until creamy for 2 minutes.

2. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar and beat for another 2 minutes.

3. Finally, add the salt, peppermint extract and half of the candy cane pieces (reserve the rest for garnish). Beat until combined for 30 seconds.

4. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag and pipe rounds of icing onto the bottom of one cookies, sandwiching it with another. Gently roll the edges in the remaining candy cane pieces and enjoy! These keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in a cool place. Icing can be made ahead ‘on stand-by’ for further cookies (or snack attacks) for a week in the fridge.

Cookie recipe adapted from epicurious.com Chocolate Crinkle Cookie recipe