Chocolate Filled Almond Spritz Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• For the sandwich cookies: In a large bowl, combine the almond butter, coconut sugar and butter. Using a handheld mixer, beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, almond extract, salt and eggs and mix to combine. Fold in the oats and mini chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Scoop 15 heaping tablespoon-size rounds of dough 1 inch apart on each prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies are just set around the edges and still soft in the middle, 10 to 11 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheets before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, cocoa powder and salt. Using a handheld mixer, beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Spread a heaping tablespoon of the filling on the flat side of half of the cooled cookies. Sandwich the remaining half of the cookies, flat side against the filling. Store in the refrigerator and remove 30 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• For the ganache: Combine the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pot with 1-inch of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Stir in the cream, vanilla and salt, and then remove from the heat. Set aside until cooled and thickened, stirring occasionally, 30 to 45 minutes.
• For the cookies: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small glass or cookie cutter (1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch wide), trace 15 circles on each piece of parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches between each round. Flip the parchment over; the lines will be visible through the paper but you will not have to pipe directly onto the ink. Fit a pastry bag with a round tip about 1/4-inch wide.
• Sift the confectioners' sugar and ground almonds into a bowl and discard any larger nut chunks. (If you have more than a tablespoon of bigger chunks, grind those until powdery and then resift.) Combine the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with the whisk attachment of a hand-held electric mixer). Whip on medium-low speed until frothy, and then add the granulated sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until very soft peaks form. Add the almond extract and a few drops of food coloring if using. Whip until stiff peaks form. Fold about one-third of the sugar-nut mixture into the egg whites until blended, and then fold in the remaining two-thirds. The batter should be a bit fluid but not runny. It should slowly drip off the spatula and sit on top of the batter in the bowl for a bit before eventually oozing back into it. If it seems a bit stiff at this point, fold once or twice more until it relaxes, although be careful not to over fold. This correct texture is the key to the macaron and it is better to have a stiffer batter than a looser one.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pastry bag. Holding the bag perpendicular over the baking sheet, squeeze until the batter fills a circle drawn on the paper. Release the pressure on the bag and pull towards you to prevent a pointy tip on the center of the cookie. Repeat with the remaining circles. Gently flatten any points on the cookies with a damp fingertip.
• Firmly rap the baking sheets against the counter to release any air bubbles and let stand at room temperature until the tops of the cookies no longer feel wet, 10 to 15 minutes. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the macarons are slightly crisp and the bottoms release from the parchment paper, about 15 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through the baking time. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, and then peel off the cookies and cool completely on a wire rack.
• To assemble the cookies, spread a thin layer of the chocolate ganache on the bottoms of half of the cookies, about 1/4 teaspoon per cookie. Top with a second cookie, gently pressing to squeeze the ganache to the rims.
• TIP: The weight of the batter in the pastry bag will force some of the batter out. To stop this, you can stick a mini marshmallow at the end of your pastry tip to block to the batter from running out the end.
• TIP: You can use store-bought almond meal in place of the whole almonds. Sift 2/3 cup with the confectioners' sugar and, if necessary, grind the larger chunks and sift until a tablespoon or less of larger chunks remain in the sifter.
• TIP: You can also spoon the batter onto the parchment lined baking sheets. The cookies may not be as perfectly round but will still taste great.

Steps:

• On a baking sheet roast almonds until lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes, toss every 2-3 minutes Allow to cool to room temperature.
• FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD---------------------.
• Grind almonds and sugar in a food processor until very fine.
• Cut butter into 16 chunks, with the processor add butter a chunk at a time.
• Process until creamy.
• Scrape down bowl.
• Add egg and extract, process until mixed, scrape down bowl.
• Add flour and salt, pulse until just combined.
• Scrape into a bowl.
• ELECTRIC MIXER METHOD--------------------------°- .
• Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl.
• Cut butter in to 16 pcs, Allow butter and eggs to come to room temperature.
• Grind almonds to a fine powder (can be done with a rolling pin and a plastic bag).
• In a second medium bowl cream butter, sugar until very light and fluffy.
• Add almonds, beat until well combined.
• Lightly beat egg and extracts, add to butter mixture, beat until just combined.
• Stir in flour and salt until just combined.
• BOTH METHODS---------------------.
• With a cookie press or pastry bag fitted with a no 22 tip, put cookies on parchment lined cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Decorate with colored sugar, etc.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Refrigerate Cookies on the sheet for 20 minutes, this will help them hold their shape.
• Bake cookies one pan at a time for 8-10 minutes (until very lightly browned), rotate pan halfway through the baking to promote even cooking.
• Allow to sit on sheet for 3-4 minutes, remove with an angled spatula to a rack.
• Cool completely.
• FILLING----------------------.
• Melt 3/4 of the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water (160 degrees or so) (bowl must not touch water).
• When chocolate starts to melt remove from heat and stir until smooth, add remaining chocolate and stir until smooth.
• Let the chocolate sit until it's no longer warm to the touch and SLOWLY beat in the butter.
• Do not over beat this mixture.
• Place the mixture in a freezer bag (corner cut off) or pastry bag and pipe it on to the bottom of 1/2 of the cookies.
• Cover with second half to form a sandwich.
• Do about 10 at a time as the chocolate mixture will start to set up.
• Let cookies set for 2 hours for filling to set 100%.
• Store covered in an airtight container for about a month.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat butter in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer until creamy; add sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Beat until combined. Scrape sides of bowl down if needed. Stir egg and vanilla extract into butter mixture until just combined; mix in flour.
• Fill the cookie press with dough; press cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookies are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread the almonds out on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned or until they give off an aroma. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool completely. Grind to a consistency resembling rough sand in a food processor or blender. Be sure almonds are cool, or you will make almond butter.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the almond extract and milk. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, and mix in along with the ground toasted almonds to form a soft dough. Refrigerate the dough for 15 to 20 minutes. This will help the cookies keep their shape after pressing.
• Lightly grease cookie sheets, and fill cookie press with dough. Press out cookies at least 1 inch apart depending on the size. You can experiment with different cookie designs. I've found most true Swedes tend to use the star shape, however, you're free to use whatever shape suits your fancy.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on the cookie sheets for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Steps:

• In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add flour and baking soda and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle., Using a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice, press dough 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool., In a small bowl, combine filling ingredients; stir until smooth. Spread on the bottoms of half of the cookies; top with the remaining cookies., In a microwave, melt milk chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Let stand until set.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer and a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add the egg and almond extract, and mix until well-combined and smooth.
• With speed still on low, gradually add both flours and the salt until just incorporated.
• Fill a cookie press with dough, or use a piping bag fitted with a decorative piping tip with a large opening (about 1/2-inch). Press or pipe the dough onto ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies. Sprinkle cookies with decorative sugar or sprinkles.
• Bake until firm to the touch and golden brown at edges, 12 to 17 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly, then use a spatula to remove cookies from the baking sheets when they're still warm (which is easier to do than when they've cooled completely).

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Combine flour, salt and baking soda, gradually add to creamed mixture.
• Using a cookie press, press dough onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375° for 7-9 minutes.
• Original recipe says not to let brown but I prefer it when the edges are slightly brown, it makes the bottoms nice and crispy.
• Remove to cooling rack and let cool completely.
• Melt confectionary coating and dip each cookie half way and sprinkle with finely ground nuts or sprinkles.
• I usually do half semi sweet chocolate and half white chocolate and sprinkle with holiday colored non periels.
• Let harden on wax paper.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Using a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice, press dough 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set (do not brown). Remove to wire racks to cool. , In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Spread over bottom of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies.