The idea for these Chocolate Button Cookies has been on my mind for awhile so I decided to make them when I found myself with a free afternoon. They reminded me of shopping for clothes when I was in grammar school and how much fun it was to pick out something new for the first day back from summer vacation. I might make an extra dozen to give to a seamstress friend of mine. She’s passionate about making quilts and loves chocolate. Seems like a match made in heaven.
“Chocolate demands your attention. It’s impossible to eat it while you’re doing something else.” Kasha
Having a chocolate roll-out cookie recipe is such a nice addition to my regular holiday baking repertoire. This Brownie Roll-out Cookie is soft and fudgy and the perfect consistency for sandwich cookies. I also like to use it for Halloween skeleton cookies and Christmas ornaments. It adds a nice variety to my cookie platter and gift boxes.
Cookie specifics
Brownie Roll-out Cookies. A simple and fudgy roll-out cookie that is soft and tender “like a pressed brownie.” Deb Perelman, the genius behind the Smitten Kitchen, says “they also make excellent lids and bases for ice cream sandwiches.” See the Smitten Kitchen’s website for tips and instructions on how to make this delicious cookie.
For the bottom cookie, I rolled out the dough ¼ inch thick and used a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. For the top cookie, I rolled out the dough ⅛ inch thick and again used the 2-inch cookie cutter to cut out the tops. Using the flip side of a 1¾-inch cookie cutter (the side with the rolled metal), I gently pressed it into the center of the thin tops. I was careful not to cut through the top cookie while making the depression.
Finally, I took a straw and made 4 holes in the top cookie so that they resemble buttons. After the cookies were baked and cooled completely, I piped a layer of ganache onto the bottom cookie, then placed a top cookie onto the ganache. Then I pressed the two pieces together. The four holes in the top cookie allowed a bit of the chocolate ganache to pop out. So cute!
Shapes & Sizes
Small (1¾-inch) and medium (2-inch) round cookie cutters. The medium cookie cutter is for both top and bottom cookies and the small cookie cutter (flipped over) is used to make the depression in the top cookie so that it resembles a button. [See the image in the Description section above.
I got my set of different sizes of round cookie cutters years ago and I use them often. I’ve seen similar sets on amazon.com for a very reasonable price.
Cookie Recipe from This Talented Cookie Artist
Brownie Roll-out Cookies. Original recipe from Smitten Kitchen.
Filling
Coconut Cream Ganache: Since many members of my family are lactose-intolerant, I use coconut cream when making my ganache. An added benefit is that the ganache can be kept unrefrigerated for a longer period of time than ganache made with dairy cream. Using a high-quality brand of chocolate ensures that the taste is excellent. [I have also been known to make ganache with water...an equally acceptable alternative.] I used a 1:1 ratio of chocolate to coconut cream. It was the perfect consistency for piping after it cooled a bit, and then it set up very well after the cookies rested on the kitchen counter for about 45-60 minutes.
Cookies
Brownie Roll-out Cookies: flour, unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, butter, sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla
Note: Smitten Kitchen doesn’t list the espresso powder in her ingredients, but I added it because I love what it does for the chocolate.
Fillings
Chocolate Ganache: Guittard semi-sweet chocolate baking wafers, coconut cream
Plate, Box or Bag?
Decorative Paper Plate. I gave a dozen of these addictive cookies to my neighbors and they loved them.
Bags. I also individually wrapped a dozen in small treat bags and gave them to a friend who was about to take a trip. I wanted to make sure she and her family had enough chocolate and sugar to sustain them during their “away time.”
What I’ve learned...
These cookies were made with the best ingredients I could find and baked in a small batch of two dozen. I’ve experimented with less expensive ingredients, but have come to the conclusion that flavor is best when I use the best. Why spend all this time baking and decorating if taste and texture are just so-so? Decorating the cookies takes time, but it’s an enjoyable process for me and I know that those who receive them appreciate that. Life is just better when you can share something you love with someone you love. Don’t you agree?
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