Stuffed: Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Whipped Nutella Ganache

We are coming in fast and early with our best Valentine’s Day cookies because it's almost Valentine’s Day and Super Bowl and there are just too many options to make and share. 

So here they are: the cutest and yummiest super-chocolaty Valentine’s Day treats. Found in my new favorite cookbook, Stuffed: The Sandwich Cookie Book by Heather Mubarak, Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Whipped Nutella Ganache just had to be baked. The cookbook was a late-night Instagram find from @brownedbutterblondie, and it’s one of those books with gorgeous photography, amazing-sounding cookie recipes, and stories that read like you’re getting baking tips from a friend. My kind of bedtime reading.

Heather writes, “This cookie sandwich is strictly for true chocolate devotees…nothing short of pure chocolate heaven!” She is right, and that is why I found the tiniest heart cookie-cutters (made for cutting shapes out of fondant; buy them at Michael’s or another baking or craft store) and made them into one-bite baby cookies that I packed up in cellophane bags tied with pink ribbon. One half-inch sandwich cookie is the perfect bite. If you prefer a bigger cookie with a bunch of bites, no judgement here.

The cookies in Stuffed call for a chocolate coating, which I am sure is fabulous, although we skipped it here to simplify. I’m including the recipe below in case you are fancier than I. 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

These Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Whipped Nutella Ganache from Stuffed: The Sandwich Cookie Book by Heather Mubarak will make the cutest, most delicious, super-chocolaty Valentine's Day treats. 

Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Whipped Nutella Ganache
From Stuffed: The Sandwich Cookie Book by Heather Mubarak

Chocolate Truffle Cookies
2 cups flour, spooned and leveled
¾ cup dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Coating
¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chips
½ teaspoon coconut oil

Whipped Nutella Ganache, recipe below

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.

Transfer the dough to your work surface and divide it in half. Wrap one half in plastic and set aside. Use a rolling pin to roll the other half of the dough between two large pieces of parchment paper until it is about ¼-inch thick. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Stack the parchment-lined dough slabs one on top of the other on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 2 hours, until firm.

Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or shape of your choice) to cut rounds of dough and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Place them 1 inch apart; the cookies will not spread while baking. 

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and, using a spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. (If you use smaller cookie cutters, decrease the baking time and check for doneness at 8 minutes. The cookies will not jiggle but they will still be slightly soft in the middle. They will firm up as they cool.)

Make the chocolate coating: Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between. Continue until the chocolate is smooth and shiny.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Dunk the top of each cookie in the melted chocolate and then transfer to the lined baking sheet.

Assemble the cookies: Once the chocolate coating has set, fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the Whipped Nutella Ganache. Pipe swirls of ganache on the flat side (opposite the chocolate-covered side) of half the cookies. Top the frosted cookies with the remaining cookies, chocolate-side up. Place in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes to set. (Alternatively, you can use the back of a spoon to spread the cookies with ganache. When topping them with a second cookie, smooth the edges of ganache with a knife or clean fingers.)

Store the cookies tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve cold or let sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Whipped Nutella Ganache

1 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup Nutella, room temperature

Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the heavy cream until just simmering. Do not let it boil.

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the Nutella and whisk to combine.

Allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. At this point, you may place the ganache in the refrigerator to speed this along.

Once cooled, transfer the ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and whip on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. It will lighten in color and the whipped ganache should hold its form.

Use immediately or store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.