Chocolate Mocha Linzer Cookies with Dulce de Leche

Dark chocolate linzer cookies with a hint of mocha and a luscious layer of creamy dulce de leche will dazzle at your next holiday celebration!

This post is sponsored by Eagle Brand. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Browned Butter Blondie possible. 

Friends and followers here on the blog ask me all the time if I ever have any baking fails. Cracks me up every time. The truth is, for every winning recipe there are at least several total disasters that are never spoken of again beyond the confines of my kitchen. The secret stays between me and my trash can. Baking is a science and there are a myriad of variables that go into each and every recipe. Ingredients, temperature, technique…heck, even the weather can make or break a recipe {I’m looking at you macarons}. Just between you and me, I personally am a little weary of pie crust and layer cakes. Neither are really my forte but I dabble in them here and there, determined not to let them get the best of me. But cookies?? Now that’s my jam. Specifically sandwich cookies that involve smooshing swirls of buttercream, scoops of ice cream, or thick layers of fruity jam in between. I’m not so sure there is anything better which is why I’m a bit obsessed with stuffed cookies. My love affair with the pretty little sandwich cookie continues with these chocolate mocha linzer cookies filled with dulce de leche.

I couldn’t let cookie season pass us by without one last sandwich cookie perfect for your holiday celebrations. These festive, snow dusted gems are ready to dazzle the crowd at your next dinner party or Christmas cookie swap. They’re almost to pretty to eat. They are truly as delicious as they are beautiful and these beauties are more than just a cookie. These goodies deserve full dessert status if you ask me. Imagine two chocolate shortbread-like cookies with a hint of mocha flavor stuffed with a luscious layer of sweet dulce de leche. Words cannot explain just how much you are going to love this cookie. You’ll just have to bake a batch and see for yourself.

To make these festive stuffed cookies, we start by prepping the dulce de leche. Dulce de leche is literally candy made from milk. Now we could make the dulce de leche entirely from scratch but the fact that we can simmer a can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk in a pot of water for a few hours is far too appealing. Especially this time of year when our to-do lists are as long as a five year old’s Christmas list to Santa. Making a batch of sweet dulce de leche couldn’t be easier or more delicious. Keep in mind that simmering the sweetened condensed milk for longer will result in a darker, richer color. I simmered mine for about two hours and I’m anxious to give it another go for longer to see the difference. If you haven’t tried this method before, you are seriously going to wonder how you lived without this shortcut dulce de leche your whole life.

Once cooked and cooled slightly, the dulce de leche is thick and creamy and has the most dreamy, sweet caramel notes. The texture is so rich and decadent…I could lick the entire can clean it’s so good!! And the best part is, Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk is made from just two ingredients. Milk and sugar. That’s it. No mystery hyphenated words you can’t pronounce.

While your dulce de leche is simmering on the stovetop, prep your cookie dough. This chocolate mocha cut out cookie comes together easily with just basic pantry ingredients that you likely have on hand. The dough itself is not dry or crumbly making it a cinch to roll out and cut into shapes. Plus the ratio of wet to dry ingredients along with the addition of a bit of cornstarch keeps the cookies from spreading in the oven so you get perfectly sharp edges. And with very little chilling time you can have freshly baked cookies ready to assemble in no time. That’s my kind of cookie!

HOW TO MAKE THE PRETTIEST LINZER COOKIES

Do not over mix the dough. Because we do not want to incorporate much air into the dough, be sure to mix the butter and sugars together on low speed. Mixing at a higher speed for too long will aerate the dough and leave you with cookies that spread too much in the oven.

Roll the dough before chilling. For best results I like to roll the dough as soon as it’s ready. Roll the dough to 3/8 inch thick between two pieces of parchment paper and then pop it in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before cutting the shapes. Once the shapes are cut, place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and return them to the freezer for 10 minutes before baking them in a preheated oven. The extra chill time will help to prevent any spreading in the oven.

Cool the cookies completely. Be sure to let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheets once removed from the oven. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust the tops only with confectioner’s sugar before adding the dulce de leche to the center of the bottom cookies. Then carefully place the top cookie over the dulce de leche cookie, being careful not to smudge the sugar dusting.

Since it’s the holidays I decided to make these linzer cookies in the shape of snowflakes. But you can bake them in any shape you like…stars, circles, hearts. There are no rules so you do you! If you happen to have any cookies left over {highly unlikely since they are totally irresistible!} store them tightly wrapped in a cool, dry place for up to three days. Since they are a filled cookie they will not freeze well and they sadly don’t ship all that well either so don’t try sending these off to Aunt Ruthie clear across the country.

My fingers and toes are crossed that you’ll try these festive chocolate mocha linzer cookies filled with dulce de leche this holiday season. I promise you they will have your whole foodie heart from the very first bite. If you do make these cookies, or any other recipe from the blog, be sure to tag @brownedbutterblondie on Instagram. I love seeing what you’re baking up in your kitchens!

I’ll meet you back here tomorrow with a round up of my favorite holiday cookies of the season just in time for the last big baking weekend of 2019! Stock up on some butter and sugar…we’ve still got plenty of baking to do!

Chocolate Mocha Linzer Cookies with Dulce de Leche

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• Author: Browned Butter Blondie
• Prep Time: 3 hours
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 3 hours 10 mins
• Yield: 30 1x
• Category: Cookies

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Description

Dark chocolate linzer cookies with a hint of mocha and a luscious layer of creamy dulce de leche will dazzle at your next holiday celebration!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 2 TBSP canola oil
• 3 tsp espresso powder
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, dark Dutch process
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• confectioner’s sugar for dusting

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Instructions

1. Place a can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk in a large pot of water over medium high heat. Be sure the can is covered by at least two inches of water all times.
2. Bring the water to almost boiling and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 hours, checking water level often.
3. Add more water as needed, making sure to always keep the water line at least two inches above the can. The dulce de leche will be darker in color the longer you leave it to simmer.
4. Remove the can from the pot with tongs and allow to cool to room temperature. Open the can and stir before spooning onto cookies.
5. Mix the butter, oil, espresso powder, sugars, vanilla and salt on low speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Do not over mix as we do not want to incorporated air into the dough.
6. Add the eggs one at a time and mix on low speed until incorporated.
7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, cocoa powder and flour.
8. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture until fully incorporated. If needed, add a TBSP at a time of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. The dough should come together and not be too dry.
9. Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a ball. Cut the ball in half.
10. Place each half on a piece of parchment paper, cover with another piece of parchment paper and then roll the dough with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thick.
11. Slide the parchment sheets onto a cookie sheet and chill the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes. Repeat with second ball of dough.
12. Once the dough is firm to the touch, use snowflake cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Chill for 10 more minutes.
13. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes until the edges are set. Do not over bake or the cookies will be dry. Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
14. To assemble the liners, dust the top of one cookie with confectioner’s sugar. Place 2 teaspoons of dulce de leche on a separate cookie and then place the cookie dusted with sugar on top, forming a sandwich. Press together gently.
15. Refrigerate for 10-20 minutes to set.

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Notes

**Prep time includes making the dulce de leche.
Note that cookies come together quickly, but dulce de leche must simmer on the stovetop for 2-3 hours. Plan accordingly.
Cookies may be frozen before filling with dulce de leche.
Dough may be made in advance. Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.