Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Marshmallow Filling for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day isn't usually a big deal in our house, but that doesn't mean we don't want a special treat to share.

This is an easy treat to make, with chocolatey goodness that isn't too sweet. These cookies are tender and soft, almost fudgey, with a pillowy soft marshmallow center.

I've still been making at least one batch of marshmallows a week, so chocolate marshmallow filling was an easy choice. Valentine's Day is about chocolate, right?

Be more generous with the filling than I was, there is plenty to go around.

This recipe makes six large (approx. 4 inches across) sandwich cookies, just enough to share with your Valentine. Get into the kitchen with your Valentine and share this chocolate treat together!

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Marshmallow Filling:
Makes six four-inch sandwich cookies

For the cookies:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
1/4 plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the filling:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold water, divided
1 package gelatin
1/3 cup quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until well incorporated. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Scoop dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for 1-2 hours until firm, but not hard. When the dough has chilled, allow to rest at room temp for 5-10 minutes before rolling out. Roll dough out between two pieces of plastic wrap to 1/8th inch think. Cut out an even number of cookies.

Bake cookies for 7 minutes on parchment paper. Allow cookies to cool on sheet for 3-4 minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely. If necessary, roll the dough out just once more and repeat with remaining cookies. When the cookies are completely cool, begin the marshmallow filling.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup of the water to bloom. Combine the remaining water and sugar in a sauce pan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Heat water and sugar over medium-high heat to 240 degrees (firm ball). Remove from heat and allow boiling to subside.

With the whisk attachment and mixer running on low, slowly pour sugar syrup down the side of the bowl. Slowly increase the speed of the mixer to high. Whip marshmallow until it begins to double in size, but the bowl is still slightly warm. Add chocolate to bowl, the residual heat of the marshmallow will melt the tiny bits of chocolate. Continue whipping until the marshmallow is thick.

Working quickly to prevent the marshmallow from setting, transfer filling to a piping bag with a large tip and pipe filling into half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies.

Grab your Valentine and enjoy!

Sweetheart Brownies

I love Red Velvet cake. We had it at our wedding, we have it on our anniversary. I thought I would be a genius and set out to make Red Velvet Brownies this week.

Chemistry got in my way.

What makes a great cake is the exact opposite of what makes a great brownie. I love the light, tenderness of a Red Velvet cake and the dense, fudgy, chewiness of a brownie. A true Red Velvet cake's greatness comes from chemistry -- the buttermilk, baking soda and vinegar reacting with the cocoa for that rusty red.

Not so much for a brownie. Each test came out dry and cakey, no where near the texture I was aiming for. I had to ditch the baking soda & vinegar.

These may not be a true Red Velvet brownie, but you will be pleased with the texture, a red touch for Valentine's day and a perfect cream cheese topping. Bake them low and slow to set the cream cheese without browning.

Remember that a brownie is only as good as your chocolate, be sure to look for quality baking chocolate with a level of intensity you like. Add as much food coloring as you like, but go a little at a time. The color will intensify a bit as the brownies bake.

Thankfully I've had some wonderful friends who have so willingly sacrificed themselves to help test brownies all week. Bake up these brownies to share with your sweetheart!

Sweetheart Brownies:

For the brownies:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) semi-sweet or dark chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon red food coloring
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the cream cheese topping:
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg white

Heat oven to 300 degrees.
Melt butter and chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave 30 seconds at a time until just melted. Stir in sugar.

Lightly whisk together eggs, vanilla, and food coloring. Fold egg mixture into chocolate mixture.

Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. Fold into batter until just combined and pour into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan.

Cream the cream cheese and sugar together until well combined and slowly blend in the egg white. Spread the cream cheese on top of the brownie batter.

Bake until a toothpick comes out dry with crumbs, about 45-50 minutes.