These Homemade Chocolate Sandwich Cookies are a chocolate lover's dream! They feature two rich, soft chocolate chip cookies filled with a sweet and simple vanilla buttercream frosting. I absolutely adore making sandwich cookies because they feel extra special, and this recipe delivers a truly decadent treat. They're perfect for snacks, parties, or satisfying that intense chocolate craving. Forget store-bought - these homemade Chocolate Sandwich Cookies are miles better!
Why You'll Love These Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- Double Chocolate Delight: Rich chocolate cookies packed with chocolate chips - a true chocolate explosion!
- Creamy Filling: The simple vanilla buttercream filling is sweet, creamy, and the perfect complement to the chocolate cookies.
- Soft and Chewy: These cookies bake up soft and chewy, creating a wonderful texture.
- Easy to Make: The recipe uses simple ingredients and standard cookie-making techniques.
- Impressive Treat: Sandwich cookies always look impressive and feel like a special indulgence.
Ingredients for Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Here's what you'll need to make these delicious sandwich cookies. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Cookies
- Unsalted butter, room temperature (Fat)
- Brown sugar (Sweetener)
- White sugar (Sweetener)
- Large eggs (Binder)
- Vanilla extract (Flavoring)
- All-purpose flour (Dry Ingredient)
- Cocoa powder (Flavoring/Coloring)
- Salt (Seasoning)
- Baking powder (Leavening Agent)
- Chocolate chips (Chocolate)
Filling
- Unsalted butter, room temperature (Fat)
- Powdered sugar (Sweetener)
- Milk (Dairy)
- Vanilla extract (Flavoring)
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love these Chocolate Sandwich Cookies as is, but here are a few ideas for variations:
- Different Filling: Use cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting, or even marshmallow fluff for the filling.
- Add Sprinkles: Roll the edges of the assembled sandwich cookies in sprinkles for a festive touch.
- Different Chips: Use white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips in the cookies.
- Make them Minty: Add a drop of peppermint extract to the cookie dough or the filling.
- Add Nuts: Finely chopped nuts could be added to the cookie dough for texture.
How to Make Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Let me show you how to make these decadent Chocolate Sandwich Cookies:
Make the Chocolate Cookies
- I preheat my oven to 350ºF (175°C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- I cream together the room temperature butter and both sugars in the bowl of my stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. I scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- I add in the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. I scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
- In a small bowl, I whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- I add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl, stirring on low just until combined.
- Finally, I gently fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula.
Bake the Cookies
- I scoop out balls of dough of about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons.
- I place them on the prepared pan, leaving space between them.
- I bake for 10-11 minutes; the tops will look pale and no longer wet.
- I allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, as they will be very soft.
- Then, I transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
Make the Filling
- While the cookies are cooling, I prepare the frosting.
- I beat the room temperature butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth.
Assemble the Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- I spoon about 1 tablespoon of frosting onto the flat side of one completely cooled cookie.
- I gently press another completely cooled cookie on top to create the Chocolate Sandwich Cookie.
- I repeat with all cookies
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Sandwich Cookies
Here are my secrets for making these cookies truly exceptional:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and eggs for both the cookies and filling are at room temperature for proper mixing.
- Don't Overmix: Mix the cookie dough just until the flour is combined. Overmixing develops gluten and makes cookies tough.
- Cool Cookies Completely: Ensure the cookies are 100% cool before adding the filling, otherwise the frosting will melt and slide out.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: This helps ensure your cookies are uniform in size, making perfect pairs for sandwiching.
- Proper Buttercream: Beat the filling ingredients well until light and fluffy for the best texture.
How to Serve
These Chocolate Sandwich Cookies are perfect for:
- Snacks: A decadent afternoon treat.
- Dessert: A satisfying chocolate dessert.
- Parties: Easy to serve and always popular.
- Cookie Exchanges: A delicious homemade contribution.
- Gifts: Package them nicely for a sweet homemade gift.
Serve at room temperature with a glass of cold milk!
Make Ahead and Storage
You can make the cookies and the filling ahead of time. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container. Store the filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Assemble the sandwich cookies just before serving or up to a day ahead. Store assembled Chocolate Sandwich Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
FAQs about Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- Can I use a different type of chocolate chip?
- Yes, feel free to use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or even peanut butter chips.
- Can I freeze these cookies?
- Yes, you can freeze the baked cookies (before filling) or the assembled sandwich cookies. Wrap them well and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- My filling is too thick/thin. What should I do?
- If the filling is too thick, add milk, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time.
Enjoy these rich, creamy, and utterly delicious Homemade Chocolate Sandwich Cookies! They're a perfect treat for any chocolate enthusiast.
Print
Homemade Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 31 minutes
- Yield: 15-18 sandwich cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Chocolate Sandwich Cookies feature soft, rich chocolate chip cookies filled with a sweet and creamy vanilla buttercream. They are a delightful homemade version of a classic treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chocolate Cookies:
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (210g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (112g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (281g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, milk, or dark)
For the Creamy Filling:
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
- 2 tablespoons milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Make Cookie Dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer), cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the vanilla extract and the room-temperature eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Scoop and Bake Cookies:
- Scoop out portions of dough using a cookie scoop (about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons).
- Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them for spreading.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes. The tops of the cookies should look slightly pale and no longer appear wet or overly shiny. The edges should be set.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes (they will be very soft). Then, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies must be completely cool before filling.
- Make the Filling: While the cookies are cooling, prepare the filling. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer), beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with the milk, until fully combined. Beat in the vanilla extract until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Assemble Sandwich Cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, pair them up by size. Spoon or pipe about 1 tablespoon of the filling onto the flat side of one cookie. Gently press another cookie (flat side down) on top to create a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling.
- Store: Store the assembled sandwich cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room-temperature butter and eggs for the cookies, and room-temperature butter for the filling, ensures proper mixing and texture.
- Cocoa Powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed will work, though natural is often preferred for baking powder recipes).
- Chocolate Chips: Use your favorite type of chocolate chips.
- Do Not Overbake: The cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when removed from the oven; they will continue to set as they cool.
- Cooling: Ensure cookies are completely cool before filling, otherwise the filling will melt.
- Filling Consistency: If the filling is too thick, add a tiny bit more milk (½ teaspoon at a time). If too thin, add more powdered sugar (1 tablespoon at a time).
- Storage: Store in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
