Cosy cocoa spice cookies with cream cheese filling

“Chocolate is most often used as the dominant central flavour in baking, but sometimes you can use it as a secondary flavour. Here, in the form of cocoa, it is used to add a warmth and depth that plays really well against the flavour of molasses and the warm spices. If you want a stronger chocolate flavour, you could add a thin layer of ganache to the filling.” – Edd Kimber

Makes 15

 Cookies

125g unsalted butter

175g (generous ¾ cup, packed) light brown sugar

75g (scant ¼ cup) black treacle (molasses)

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk 

275g (2¼ cups) plain flour

15g (2½ tblsp) cocoa powder (dutched or natural)

1 tbsp ground ginger

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

¼ tsp black pepper

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

Coating

demerara sugar

Filling

50g (3½ tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature

125g (1 cup) icing sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

50g (scant ¼ cup) cream cheese, room temperature

pinch fine sea salt

To make the cookie dough, melt the butter, in a saucepan or in the microwave, then pour into a large mixing bowl along with the sugar and treacle, stirring to combine. Leave to cool for a few minutes before adding the egg and egg yolk. using an electric mixer, on medium/high speed, mix for 2 minutes until fully combined and slightly paler in colour. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, spices, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until a uniform dough is formed. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan, and line two large baking trays (pans) with baking parchment.

Roll the dough into 30 small balls. If you have a small mechanical ice cream scoop this is perfect for the job. Roll the balls in demerara sugar, then place on the prepared trays.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until the surfaces are lightly cracked and the edges are set. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, add the butter to a large bowl and beat, preferably with an electric mixer, until very soft and pale, 2–3 minutes. Add the icing sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. The mixture will seem a little thick at this stage. Add the cream cheese and salt and mix just until smooth and lump free.

Spoon or pipe filling on half the cookies, then sandwich with a second cookie.

Kept in a sealed container, the cookies will keep in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

This is an edited extract of Chocolate Baking by Edd Kimber. Published by Quadrille.

📷 Matthew Hague.