I Crashed The Web

In case you didn’t notice, I’m very much in the midst of holiday baking. So far, we’ve made some graham cracker Heath bar toffee and Taylor Swift Chai cookies – with plenty more on the way!

These were next up. I asked each of my kids to share their top 3 holiday cookies, and one of FW’s favorites were these. Last year was the first year I had ever made them, and I wasn’t even planning on making them this year (like the Chai cookies!), but since they were top on his list, we made them again.

I need to first disclose a few things. First, this is not my recipe. One of B’s cousins made these cookies at his family’s annual golfing reunion, and FW gobbled them up there, so I asked for the recipe. Second, this uses a box of brownies! You can try to make them with your own homemade brownie, but I promise you, this recipe is not just easy, but it’s so tasty, and FW loves them this way. B’s cousin’s original recipe called for boxed frosting too – which you could definitely use! – but I think most boxes/cans of frosting have a funky aftertaste, so I opted to make my own and this is how the recipe has morphed into our own.

Here you go – here is the Chocolate Brownie Sandwich Cookie recipe. These are rich and very sweet, so if you’re eating them as part of a cookie tray, you may only want half of one so you have room to try some other cookies. Note that I typically double the recipe so that I have enough for us to enjoy, plus to give away with other holiday cookies.

Chocolate Brownie Sandwich cookies

Makes 1 dozen sandwiches (or as FW calls them, “chocolate hamburgers” — I don’t think that is very appetizing though)

Here’s what you need:

For the cookies

• 1 package brownie mix – enough that would make an 8×8 pan (I used 18.2 oz Duncan Hines® Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix)
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

For the frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1.5 – 1/75 cups powdered sugar (approx 210 grams)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch salt

Here’s what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Prepare baking sheet by spraying with cooking spray.
2. Combine brownie mix, oil, water, egg in large bowl with a spatula until blended.
3. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheets. I like them to be as even as possible, so I take about 25 grams of batter, roll it in my hands, and then drop it on the baking sheet.
4. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until just set in center. Cool cookies on pans for 3-5 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a rack. I like to find pairs of cookies that look alike while they are cooling.
5. While baking, make the frosting by combining butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla and salt in a mixer and blending until smooth. Depending on consistency, add more or less milk (if too dry/thick) or powdered sugar (if too runny).
6. Once cookies are cooled completely, spread about 1-1.5 Tablespoon frosting on flat side of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies and gently press together.

Questions for you:

• What’s your top Christmas cookie(s)?
• Are you a chocolate fan? OR would these be too chocolatey for you? I like chocolate but these are just a little too much for me.