Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches

The Washington Post, July 1, 2009

• • Course: Dessert
• • Features: Make-Ahead Recipes

Summary:

Chewy in the middle and crisp on the outside, these chocolate-chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are held together with a coffee-flavored cream cheese frosting.

MAKE AHEAD: The cookie sandwiches can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, individually wrapped and refrigerated, or may be frozen for up to 1 month.

Makes 12 cookie sandwiches

Ingredients:

For the cookies

• • 3/4 cup flour
• • 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• • 1/4 teaspoon salt
• • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• • 1 large egg
• • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• • 1 cup oatmeal (not quick-cooking or instant)
• • 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

For the filling

• • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• • 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso dissolved in 1 1/2 teaspoons water
• • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• • 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.

Combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, until blended. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and vanilla extract; beat until well combined.

Add the oatmeal and then the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Stop the motor and stir in the chocolate chips. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for about 16 minutes each, until there are small cracks on top, the edges are firm and the centers are slightly soft. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling: Combine the butter, cream cheese, dissolved coffee and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on low speed for about 1 minute, until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until smooth.

Turn half of the cookies bottom side up. Leaving a 1/2-inch margin around the edges, carefully spread a rounded tablespoon of filling over the bottom of each turned-up cookie. Place the remaining cookies bottom side down over the filling to form cookie sandwiches. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe Source:

From cookbook author Elinor Klivans.

424 calories, 21g fat, 14g saturated fat, 60mg cholesterol, 129mg sodium, 56g carbohydrates, 3g dietary fiber, 39g sugar, 5g protein.